Little Wing
by Penelopi
Summary: During a Dark Axis raid, the Gundam Force finds a female Gundam from Lacroa, Zero's homeland. Zero eagerly takes the displaced Gundamess under his wing, unaware of her origins or of her involvement in the Dark Axis conflict. But, Chief Haro and Kao Lyn know more than they're letting on. Zero x OC. Image by Xzeit at DeviantArt (Lisa Nguyen)
1. Boy Meets Gundamess

**Author's Notes**

Here's my first posting: the first chapter of a very long SDGF Zero x OC fic. It takes place after the whole gang's gotten together in Neotopia but before Fen leaves the first time, before Baku's arc with a revenge match, etc. This fic aims to be believable and in-character in the show's universe. From the starting point, it goes all the way to the end of the anime's second season.

Rating for the whole story: T for violence (robot violence, about the level of the anime, with occasional description of wounds and some mention of leakage), implied rape, depressing/dark situations, and suggestive themes

This is a fanfic that I devoted a lot of time and energy to, over several years. I started it in August 2010 and finished it 1 to 2 years later.

It holds a close spot in my heart for several reasons. Writing this got me to loosen up and write better. I didn't plan on making it super long, but by the time I finished, it was over 500 pages single-spaced 12 font. So, I knew that I could, in fact, finish something, and that I was capable of writing something novel-length. The motivation to finish this story was my best friend. Y'know, the kind of best friend who you stay up late with to chat on Skype and watch Transformers shows, the kind who you stand up to a bully for even though you're a timid introvert, and the kind who acts as your wing-girl when you've got a crush. We both loved SDGF and traded fanfics to each other for reading and proofing. Sadly, because of something tragic, we're not friends, anymore, and it's unlikely that that will change.

Although I no longer have my friend as an audience, I can't bring myself to just let this fic die in my laptop, so I'm posting this lovely old thing here for the wider world. If people like it, I'll finish some sequels and post them ;)

I just went over this section before posting to make a few edits, but I'm sure it needs more, so please review. I'd especially like comments on Zero's phrasing and word choice, the humor, the effectiveness of the battle scenes (which, in spite of being my weak spot, is still the majority of this chapter, *sigh*), characterization (in-character? interesting?), interaction between the characters, and the introduction of the main OC.

This IS a Zero x OC fic, and so I know a lot hinges on the OC's development. I didn't think much about her personality when first writing this, though, and just kind of let it happen, so I worry about that. There isn't much of her in this chapter, so I guess I won't ask for many personality comments, yet, but I'd like to know how her first impression goes.

Most importantly, though, I'd like to know if you enjoyed reading this chapter. If it gave you some enjoyment, please review so I know I'm not writing/posting in vain. (And if you didn't enjoy it, review so I can know how to fix it-comments are never a waste!)

So, here we go. **Disclaimer: **Bandai owns all the characters in this chapter except for Aleda—whom I made up—and other original characters whom I'll identify as they appear. Aside from the ones I point out, though, all of them belong to Bandai.

* * *

**_Little Wing_ **

**Chapter 1: Boy Meets Gundamess**

A knight-motifed robot stood perched atop the chimney of Shute's house, staring across the treetops with blue eyes as his windswept red cape tickled his blue-edged heels. Neotopia was bright and cheerful as always, bustling and blue-skied, but Zero's thoughts lingered on his home. Just as bright a sky and colorful a spread of flora—or even more so—had graced Lacroa before an invading force turned the whole land to stone. Mere days ago, he'd seen the damage himself: all hard, grey, and bare, ruins without overgrowth, and not a soul in sight. Zero sighed. At the very least, he had returned from that journey with a shred of hope in the form of a tiny, fluffy, fire-breathing Spirit. One that he needed to check on. _Miss Keiko will spoil him if I am not careful. Who would have known that the key to saving Lacroa would be an infant creature?_

A flash of white flickered in the treetops of the forest. Zero snapped to the present and squinted into the trees. The small white form turned and vanished in the shadows, seemingly without noticing its one-man audience. Zero blinked a few times. He had seen the figure so vaguely and briefly that he could not be sure it hadn't just been a mirage. But he could almost swear that it looked like a floating Gundam, a phenomenon which was, as far as he knew, unique to Lacroa. _But no, that cannot be_, the knight thought to himself._ How can another have escaped to Neotopia? _

"Zero!"

The Lacroan Gundam looked down to see a boy with bouncy brown bangs, Shute, waving up at him, with unimposing civilian mode Captain and red-armored Bakunetsumaru beside him. Captain's v-fin was angled upward and flashing. "Dark Axis is on the move again!" Shute called, confirming Zero's suspicions.

Zero sighed. "Those brutes never know when to admit defeat," he muttered, floating down to his comrades. "Where are the foul creatures this time?"

"The base has not yet transmitted the coordinates," Captain said. "Gunperrys have been sent to retrieve us. We will be briefed on the way."

Zero nodded.

The Gundam Force patiently waited for their ride. In only a few minutes, the deep hum of the Gunperrys' propellers and the strong breeze rippling through the trees in waves signaled that their transportation had arrived.

Once on board one of the Gunperrys, Chief Haro began to brief them. Zero, spotting white-painted wings, drifted into the back of the cluster and subtly beckoned the Gundam they belonged to. "Guneagle," he said in a low voice, "Were you in the forest near Shute's house ten minutes ago?"

"Uh…No?" Guneagle said. "I haven't been out there since...well, ever. How come? You saw someone there who looked like me?"

"It was probably just my imagination, then."

"Maybe," Guneagle said. "Or it could have been the enemy. You should tell Chief Haro about it."

"Is there something you have to say, Guneagle and Zero?"

The two immediately stood to attention. "No, sir," Zero said quickly.

"Then please pay attention," Chief Haro said. He returned to addressing the entire gathering. "As I was saying, Dark Axis is up to their usual tricks, but this time in a residential area on the south side of Neotopia. There have already been reports of houses burning and cars exploding." The Gundam Force tensed in anger at the news. "Luckily, there are no known casualties as of yet, although there have been some serious injuries. You must stop them at any cost before citizens die. However, you must be more cautious than usual, because this area is highly populated, by both mobile citizens and humans, and stray shots and collapsing structures can easily kill them. SDG staff will be evacuating as many of the remaining civilians as possible to the Gunperrys. Your main priority is to engage Dark Axis, but if you find a civilian who is trapped, in need of immediate medical or technical attention, or otherwise in danger, feel free to help. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" everyone chimed.

"Good. Then get ready. We touch down in three minutes."

…

The gangplank rolled down to reveal a myriad of explosions, fires, screams, and Zakos. The Gundam Force's eyes widened. "This looks like a war zone," Bakunetsumaru stated, drawing his two katana.

"Time to commence mission," Captain stated neutrally. His mouthguard slid and clicked together over his face, and he stepped forward, each movement clunking with the weight of his blue-and-white combat armor and weapons. "Shute, stay close."

"O-Okay, Captain," the shaking boy said, following him down to the streets. The rest of the Gundams came close after, eager to confront the Dark Axis.

The residential area stood in a suburb not too different from Shute's own neighborhood. However, the houses were set closely together. Some of them even smooshed right against each other to form buildings that spanned entire blocks. "Townhouses," Shute said. "Or, what's left of them." The fire stops had not been able to withstand the Dark Axis's flames; whole rows of townhomes had their roofs on fire, while other homes were only charred remains. A high window of one structure smashed outward to let through a T.V. screen, which crashed to a stop on the yard below, followed by laughter from some short round Zakos in the now-glassless frame.

Captain chose to target a gang of Zakos at a nearby fire hydrant first. "Halt," he ordered them, aiming his beam rifle. "I have been granted special dispensation to use weapons in the defense of Neotopia. Surrender and drop your weapons."

"Oh, no, zako!"

"It's the Gundam Force, zako!"

"What do we do, zako?"

"Run, zako!"

The little green Zakos scattered. "Hey, get back here!" Baku shouted after them as he gave chase.

"Hey, leave some for me!" Guneagle called. He veered off for another cluster of Zakos that were scrambling to run inside a charred building for shelter.

One Zako remained and aimed its gun at Captain, Shute, and Zero, shaking. "Noble, but foolish," Zero said. The Zako squealed and fired wildly. Captain stepped protectively in front of Shute, his shield at the ready, but Zero formed his magic force field around them, and the bullets bounced off harmlessly.

"Thanks," Captain said.

Zero nodded, never taking his eyes off the enemy. As soon as the barrage let up, the knight sped towards the defenseless Zako, who screamed and flailed his arms aimlessly. "I kinda feel sorry for him," Shute murmured. Zero, rather than slashing the Zako with his sword, rammed him with his shield and sent the little green robot flying into a brick house. Crack! A spider-vein of cracks appeared around the Zako.

"Zako-o-~" The glow of the Zako's eye faded, and he fell flat on the pavement, unconscious, leaving a Zako-shaped indent in the brick wall.

"That should keep him down," Zero said.

"Awesome!" Shute said. "One Zako down—"

"—and approximately 546 to go, if Bakunetsumaru and Guneagle have already defeated their targets," Captain finished.

"Aw, man, don't remind me!" Shute wailed.

A familiar cackle sounded through the smoky air. "Scared of a few Zakos, organic?"

"Zapper Zaku!" Shute declared as he and the two Gundams spotted the one-eyed maroon Dark Axis lackey on top of a charred building.

"Close," Zapper said.

"Zapper Zaku and _me!_" A heavy clunk came from behind them, and they whipped around to see a sky-blue flash flying at them. Shing! Captain stepped forward and locked his rifle's bayonet with Grappler Gouf's massive claw. With a push, Gouf broke himself out of the grip and leapt backwards to a safer distance. "Pfft. Well, it was worth a try," Grappler said with little dismay. "You got a pocket knife built into that thing, too?"

"A retractable bayonet," Captain corrected him.

Grappler rolled his single eye. "No duh. Do you get sarcasm?"

"Cowardly fiend! Attacking from behind?!" Zero charged at Grappler, his sword arm drawn back to strike.

Captain and Shute's attention snapped back to Zapper as the red Axis member leapt to the ground, cracking the pavement beneath. Zapper's grin widened. "I've been waiting for this, Gundam."

"Bring it, Zapper Zaku," Captain challenged.

Meanwhile, the battle between Zero and Grappler migrated to the edge of the woods. Zero jabbed and swung with his sword while Grappler blocked with his claw, side-stepped, and used his sword to jab. Neither had made a mark on the other, though Grappler's steps tore wild grass underfoot. "Stay still, you little—ugh!—pesky bird," Grappler complained.

"Already tiring, Grappler?" Zero mocked.

"No way. I'm just getting—*grunt*—started!" Grappler suddenly lunged at Zero, swiping him with his sword.

Zero jerked back and dodged the blade, but the butt of the sword impacted the side of his head. "Ow!" Zero grunted, stumbling to the ground. Grappler then raked his big claw over him, leaving four grooves across Zero's shoulder pad and the side of his mouthguard. Zero retaliated with a vicious stab at Grappler's side. Grappler recoiled, and Zero took the chance to slice off his claw—and his detachable lower arm in the process.

Although wincing from the hurt in his side, Grappler laughed weakly. "What a temper. Can't take a few scratches on your face, pretty boy?"

"I assure you, I have no concern for simple scratches," Zero said. "I am only concerned with defeating Dark Axis and reclaiming my homeland, Lacroa." He pointed his sword at the Dark Axis bot. "You are wounded. Do you yield?"

Grappler's eye widened, and he suddenly ducked. Zero blinked, turned to look, saw a missile heading straight for them, cursed, and dove for the ground. Moments later, it sailed over their heads and crashed into the forest with a resounding boom. A shriek reached their ears.

Zero jumped to his feet. "A lady?!" He scanned the burning forest intently for a sign of long hair, a lithe form, a dress, anything that would give him a sign as to where she was.

Grappler pushed himself up with a grunt and hobbled unnoticed back towards the street, shouting into the smoke, "Dom! Watch where you're aiming!"

A flaring flame lit up the dark forest for an instant and revealed a white Gundam with gold edging, one with curvier limbs and a smaller body: a female Gundam who levitated without any visible jet thrusters. _The very Gundam I spied in Shute's forest_, Zero thought. _She is most definitely from Lacroa! But what is she doing here? _The Gundamess had shied a safe distance from the fire, but she hesitated there, unsure where to go. Zero moved to enter the forest and coax her to the safety of the Gunperry, but a crash snatched his eyes to a nearby rooftop.

"Ooh, that'll hurt in the morning."

"Guneagle?" Zero called to the grounded flier.

Guneagle pushed himself to his feet on top of the coal-black roof. "Dom got my left wing's flight thrusters," he explained. "Watch out—here he comes!"

"Little birdie~ Come out and play~!" Dom sang as he rounded the corner. "Where are you, birdie?" He launched a barrage of wildly circling missiles. Guneagle hit the deck, and Zero evaded the missiles, slicing those that wandered too close. Explosions rang as some hit the house beneath Guneagle.

"Aaaaaah!" The roof crumbled underneath the Neotopian flier and sent him plunging into the groaning building.

"Guneagle!" Zero gasped. Another shrill whistling sound cut into his audios: a second wave of missiles. Most flew in random—and harmless—directions, but Zero saw with horror that one coursed for the Gundamess still hovering a few feet in the woods. The unlucky girl spotted the projectile and spun to fly deeper into the forest, but she paused at a wall of flames.

Zero darted in the missile's path and cast a blue magic circle to shield him. The missile strained against the magic field but could go no farther. "No!" Dom wailed. "Dom want missiles go BOOM!" To Zero's dread, he launched several more towards him.

"Tenkyoken!" A flaming x-shape collided into the cluster of missiles, detonating them all. Zero's force field deflected the explosions, and a lick of the flames caused the missile that had been dancing on the surface of the magic circle to detonate harmlessly. Zero dropped the shield as Baku ran into view. "Looks like you owe me again, Flower Knight," the samurai jeered.

"It's '_Winged_ Knight,' you impertinent dog!" Zero growled.

"We'll see who's the impertinent dog after we're through with him," Baku returned.

"Dom hates hearing bad jokes. Dom will make you both go boom!" Dom interrupted.

"Not now, Dom!" Grappler's strained voice boomed from the speakers of the Komusai as it flew overhead at low altitude. "We're retreating. Get on, now!"

"Aw…" Dom leapt up to the Komusai, where Zapper waited on the deck. When Dom failed to make it all the way up, Zapper grabbed onto his arm, and several Zakos grabbed onto Zapper, as they all pulled.

Zero faced the forest. "Zero—what?" Baku began, puzzled. "Shouldn't we go after them?"

Zero raised his sword, and a blue aura burst forth, dispersing the flames.

The Komusai soared towards the open Zakorello Gate, the figures on its surface becoming indistinct. Finally, the portal engulfed the enemy ship, and the purple aura vanished.

The flames in the forest were all gone. Zero's sword and shield disappeared in a flash of white light. Baku sheathed his swords.

"The enemy just got away! What's the big deal?" Baku asked. "Are you a 'tree-hugger'?" he said, proudly flaunting the term Shute had recently taught him.

"No, there is a young lady in there," Zero said, drifting closer to the forest. "Madam, you may come out now. Those ruffians are gone." He eyed Baku. "Well…besides that one," he muttered.

"What?! Me?! I am _very_ civilized! And I think you're such a ladies' man that you're having hallucinations of girls. I see no one there…!" Bakunetsumaru trailed off as a white-armored Gundamess slowly floated out of the woods towards them. "Woah." Her gold v-fin took the form of short feathers that connected to a light green jewel the same color as Zero's. Her helmet had an angular wing motif. A GunSoul also the same color as Zero's rested in the middle of her angular chest, outlined in gold. Two large "skirt" pieces over either thigh, sectioned in triangular shapes for mobility, jutted backwards, and small triangular wing shapes extended from her back. Angular, but in a sharp and aerodynamic way rather than unfeminine.

"I thought there were no Gundamesses in Neotopia," Baku said, aghast.

"Don't stare. It is uncouth to eye a lady," Zero said as he continued to gaze at her.

"I see! So it's 'uncouth' for anyone besides Pansy Knight to stare?" Baku laughed.

The newcomer blushed, but Zero ignored Baku, instead gawking at the symbol on the Gundamess's skirt piece: a four-pointed star above a v. The symbol of Lacroa. She seemed just as captivated by the fact that they shared the insignia. Her wide green eyes had locked onto the Lacroan symbol on Zero's shoulder armor. She floated closer, reached out gingerly, and touched the emblem. Then, seeing as he did not protest, she fingered it a few seconds before withdrawing.

"I…" It took both Zero and Baku a moment to realize that the soft voice came from her. "I'm sorry. It's just that…they're the same…" she said, at a loss for words.

"Yes, milady, they are," Zero agreed. "I am from Lacroa, like you."

"Lacroa? Is that where it's from?"

"Why, yes, it is the kingdom's crest," Zero said, perplexed. "Do you not know where you come from?"

The Gundamess shook her head. "No. I was just a baby when a spatial rift sucked me into Neotopia. A human family found me and raised me in this world."

"Oh," Zero said. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "That's quite a story."

"Talk about a coincidence," Baku said.

Fiddling with the angular wing decal over her audio receptor, the Gundamess put forth shyly, "Um, how did you both get here? You don't look like the mobile citizens, either."

"We recently came from another dimension through various unusual circumstances," Zero said.

"Oh." Then, she added hurriedly, "Oh, um—Sorry, before I asked all this, I meant to say thank you for saving me. I just got so caught up in—in that symbol—that I completely forgot to say that. I've been searching for my home for a long time, so..."

"No offense is taken, milady," Zero said. "I'm only happy to help such a beautiful maiden."

A small, shy smile broke out behind her mouthguard. "You're really nice."

"I live by the code of chivalry. In Lacroa, I am a knight who serves the royal family: Zero the Winged Knight," Zero stated proudly.

"That's a cool name," the Gundamess said.

"May I ask your name, fair maiden?"

"Aleda."

"That is a beautiful name." Zero smiled.

Aleda bashfully averted her green eyes. "Thanks."

"Well, Lady Aleda," Zero began, kneeling. He snapped his fingers, and a princess rose appeared in his hand, which he held out to her. "Would it please you to come with this knight and learn more about your birthplace?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Aleda said with a smile as she accepted the rose. She glanced around. "Where did your friend go?"

Zero stood. "My friend? Ha! We are merely allies fighting against a common enemy. I don't consider such a boorish swordsman my _friend_. But—" His eyes, too, began to search for the red Gundam. "I am also at a loss. Bakunetsumaru!"

"Wow, that's a long name," Aleda commented.

"You have no idea," Zero sighed, rolling his eyes. He cupped his mouth again. "Bakunetsumaru! ..._Baka_netsumaru! Where are you hiding?"

"'Baka'?! I'll show you 'baka'!"

Zero and Aleda wheeled to see Bakunetsumaru walking out of the half-collapsed house with Guneagle slung over his shoulder. "You were too focused on _her_ to notice Guneagle screaming for help, so while you were busy flirting with the girl, I was pulling our comrade out of the rubble from underneath three _heavy _fallen support beams! Baka!" Baku loudly scolded.

Zero turned red and stared at the ground, shamefaced. "I did not forget!" he protested. "I was only checking that the lady was unharmed."

"Checking her _out_ is more like it," Baku said.

"How dare you accuse me of such perverse behavior! I did nothing of the sort!"

"Hey, I don't blame ya, Zero," Guneagle said. "I mean…" He whistled. "Wow, she is one cute chick."

Aleda blushed, and the red in Zero's face deepened. "You will not address her in such a belittling way! She is a lady of Lacroa, and her name is Aleda!"

"See? He even got her name, the sly dog," Guneagle hissed to Baku, and both of them split into peals of laughter.

…

It was not until they were on the Gunperry that Baku took a close look at Zero. "What happened to you?" he said in amazement.

"What? Oh." Zero fingered the claw marks on his face. "Grappler Gouf landed a lucky hit."

"Heh, you can't even take that goon?"

"Oh, no, you are mistaken, samurai," Zero said with a smirk. "You should have seen Grappler. He came out in far worse shape."

Baku snorted. "Sure."

Silence reigned between them for a few moments. Then Baku spoke up. "So…She isn't your sister or anything, is she? She looks a lot like you."

Their extra passenger had taken another Gunperry with Chief Haro so he could brief her on the ins-and-outs of SDG and the Gundam Force. Although it was undetermined whether Aleda would be officially joining them or not, it was clear that, under the circumstances, she would be staying with them for the time-being and so had to know the rules.

"Nay," Zero said softly in answer to Baku's question. "She looks like a Lacroan. I have no siblings. But, I can hardly believe one of my kin was here in Neotopia for so many years."

"I get why you like her," Bakunetsumaru said. "She reminds you of Lacroa, right?"

Zero snorted proudly. "I am not infatuated with Lady Aleda, nor do I consider her as a lost remnant of Lacroa. She wasn't even raised there. She doesn't speak like a Lacroan, she doesn't know magic like a Lacroan, and she doesn't know any Lacroan culture. She is only a lost soul who I can teach about her lost home."

Baku nodded. "And one day, you'll show her Lacroa, too."

Zero smiled. "Thank you. I hope so, too."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, how was it? I tried to make the chapter a manageable size while timing the break right. I actually didn't divide this up into chapters at all while I was writing it, because I tend to do that later. Was it funny? Cute? Boring? Unamusingly cliched? Reminders of what I'm especially anxious about: how did Aleda's introduction go? I'm aiming to make her appealing and NOT a Mary Sue. Are you interested in seeing where this goes, or did you get turned off as soon as Zero started flirting with her? Is the dialogue of the characters in keeping with their character? Are their interactions and actions believable? Was the battle scene horrible or decent? Can you see the images of the story clearly in your head? Please make comments considerate but honest. "It was trash because..." isn't appreciated, but, "I was put off/turned off by _ because _" is good. I really do want opinions, so please give me something, even just a sentence. I look forward to hearing from everyone! :)

-Penelopi

12-28-2015: Revised this chapter in order to have a better introduction at the start. Now matches Inkitt version.

3-22-2016: Corrected a bad copy-pasta-edit error where Zero said Aleda's name before she gave it.


	2. Optimism

**Author's Notes**

Here's another chapter! This one isn't very fast-paced but has the OC meeting everyone, plus relationship development between characters, particularly between Zero and Aleda. I know this was a quick turnaround, but don't expect an update every week, especially during finals season. I just couldn't stand working on my paper any more and took a break to edit and publish this. I was really excited to keep working on Little Wing, particularly because of a positive review from Titanic X. Thanks for the feedback, and I'm glad you liked it! My boyfriend read a fight scene from a different fic of mine and said I wasn't so good at those, so I'm glad I got a second opinion XD I'm happy that Aleda doesn't seem Mary Sue-ish so far. I hope that doesn't change. I tried to really mold her into the SDGF universe so she would seem like she could actually be from the show. I'm curious to see your OC, too. I'll be a-browsin'!

I think it's prudent that I talk a bit about Gundam biology as I imagined it and wrote it in this fic, before getting too far. There's a lot of things that the show didn't explain. For one: are Knight Gundams and Musha Gundams actually the same "species" or not? They seem to reproduce differently, and we have no idea why. There are no female Gundams shown in the show, so I had to go off of the males' region-related aesthetics and my imagination. Then I found the aesthetics of female Gundams in other SD Gundam series and realized I was trying way too hard. So, female Gundams in this series are pretty much like in the Sengokuden series: slimmer, curvier, often with curvier armor as well, and a tendency for some loose ribbon things. Lacroan Gundams fly by way of magic-powered flight boosters, which are usually in their feet in this fic. I later remembered that Zero's cape is implied to be the source of his flight-or at least to be made of magic-in the episode when he gets tossed into the pit by Tallgeese and the cape goes poof. I'm still not sure if I want to change what I had.

Gundams in this fic have mouths behind their face coverings because of Genkimaru. It just seemed to me, based on the little child Gundam, that they probably were born with mouths that they later covered up. Baku never shows his face while he's eating, so we'll never know for sure, but I like this idea. I refer to their mask thing with various terms, such as mouthguard, faceplate, and many others I can't remember off the top of my head. I'll try to make it clearer if I see a weird term that's not used often, but in general if it's similar to those two terms, that's probably what it is. I just don't like using the same words over and over. Why do their vents light up when they talk? Who knows. In the English dub version, they don't always light up, either, though that's because dubbers like adding extra dialogue.

Gundams run off of some sort of energy which is not necessarily electricity (I don't think the show ever specified) but at least has many of its properties. Captain wasn't the only one who sparked; Baku did, too, if I remember correctly, during his fights with Ashuramaru. Zero, Baku, Genkimaru/Daishogun, Cobramaru, and lots of other Knight/Musha Gundams eat and get hungry, so I assume that they get energy by consuming food and processing it into the right stuff. Their internal machinery I imagine to be arranged in a human-like fashion, with the food intake leading down from the mouth into the energy converter/processor in the belly area, and the CPU and GPU and other sensory/"mental" processors in their heads with a cable network going down the spine into the rest of the body. The GunSouls are their "hearts": they conduct the energy and coolant throughout the body. Obviously, having their hearts be so visibly exposed is slightly detrimental, but their physical strength and armor more than make up for it-most of the time. If the GunSoul is shattered, or if the cables leading into it are severed, the Gundam will lose his energy quickly and can die. Severed body parts can't be easily restored. At the very least, sensation would be lost from artificial replacements. The natural Gundams also sleep, which allows them to conserve energy, defrag their data, reroute energy for expedited self-repairs (done by nanobots), and clean out viruses and bugs. The defrag can result in the sensation of dreaming.

Neotopian Gundams obviously are a bit different. They're made, not born, and their body parts are interchangeable. The SoulDrive contains their personality and consciousness and can be, as we've seen in the show, taken out and put back into their bodies without ill effects. They don't eat. Instead, they get all of their energy, as well as the defragging and bug/virus cleaning, from recharging at specialized charging stations. This means that they have to rely on the SDG's technology for even basic survival needs. Instead of "healing" on their own through nanobots, they have to get repairs from trained engineers.

Most of this will come into play later. Just keep it in mind for now. Here's the second chapter! Enjoy! Disclaimer: Aleda's the only character in this chapter that doesn't belong to Bandai and Sunrise. I'm not selling this work or making any financial profit off of it.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Optimism**

It was late at night by the time they arrived home. Civilians had to be escorted to safety and rushed to hospitals, and the casualties had to be tallied. Out of sight of the young Gundam Force members, Chief Haro's 'bots assisted the collection of bodies. Twenty dead. Haro, seeing the report, sighed behind his mask, walked into White Base's debriefing room, and tried to swallow back his regret before speaking. "Good work, today. If you hadn't intervened, the damages would have been much worse."

But, a hint of weightiness clung to his voice. Baku fiddled with his sword hilts. Zero's head drooped slightly, knowing instinctively that, again, there had been many he couldn't save. Shute beamed, and Captain responded, "Thank you, Chief Haro." Aleda was absent: her debrief, since she was a non-combatant and not an official SDG member, was being conducted with Bell Wood, who had more spare time than Chief Kao Lyn, the one fixing all of the damaged GMs.

"This event doesn't bode well, however," Chief Haro warned the team. "We could assume that it was done out of spite, but it's more prudent to believe that this was a test. We suspect they're planning a larger assault on the city in the future. Train hard. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Don't let your guard down."

They nodded grimly.

After the debrief, Shute had to be dropped off at home. Zero asked to go with him so he could pick up Fenn from Shute's house, and Chief Haro easily agreed. The boy waved good-bye to Captain and walked with Zero to the Gunperry docks.

As they neared the docks, their new winged guest passed into view, escorted by a GM. "And that way leads to the Gunperrys," the GM said, while Aleda nodded attentively.

"Hey, there!" Shute called with a wave.

"Hi," Aleda said, shyly squirming as he—and the Knight Gundam—neared her.

"Well-met, milady," Zero greeted. "I see you have finished speaking with Dr. Bell Wood."

"Yeah."

"I hope that he has made you feel welcome. He can be rather rude." Zero held up a fist to menace the absent offender. "If he has been inhospitable, then tell me so that I can properly—"

"Are you looking around the base?"

"Shute, I wasn't finished!"

Aleda, fiddling with her wing decal, nodded. "Yeah, GM-302 has been showing me how to find everything."

"Ah, that's great! I'm heading home for the night. Zero's riding with me."

"Lady Aleda," Zero said, recovering a smooth composure, "would it please you to accompany me to Shute's house? I would like to show you something that is very significant to Lacroan culture and history."

A shy dodge of the eye, a flit of a wing, and a trace of a smile escaped her. "Um, sure."

The Gunperry landed in the forest near Shute's house, let the three off, and then returned to base. The boy and the Gundams walked to Shute's house, where they met a cross Keiko at the door. "Shute, I saw your note, but that doesn't give you the excuse to disappear for so long," she rebuked him. "It's eleven o'clock—two hours past your bedtime."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Shute said. "I didn't mean to stay away for so long. Things came up…"

"Miss Keiko, please excuse Shute," Zero pled, raising his hand to gather magical energy for a rose-conjuring spell. "There was an accident that detained us—"

"Don't you start, mister," Keiko said in her best teacher voice, halting the spell on the tip of his fingers. "You shouldn't be keeping him out late! And you left poor Fenn here alone all evening! He's been crying for you."

On cue, the little fluff ball himself darted down the stairs behind Keiko, sobbing, and flew into Zero's arms. "Oh, Fenn," Zero said regretfully. "I'm sorry for leaving you here alone. I had a matter of great importance to attend to."

Fenn would have none of it; he took a deep breath. "Uh-oh!" Shute gasped, dodging to one side. Aleda blinked, then jumped as flames spewed on Zero, roaring out any protest from the engulfed knight. Eventually, with a volatile burp, Fenn's fire-breath subsided, leaving Zero charcoal-black.

Zero coughed. "Well, I hope you're satisfied," he said to Fenn hoarsely.

After a quick introduction between Aleda and Keiko, in which Keiko warned her not to let the boys get her into trouble, and a final scolding to Shute and Zero, the Lacroans departed with a little fuzzball in hand. They drifted a safe distance from the house, skimming over the moon-kissed grass, before Zero spoke up. "Well, you may not have had a good first impression, but this is the important thing I wanted to show you. This, Lady Aleda, is Fenn, an important Spirit of Lacroa. He's usually very friendly." He rubbed a finger under the Spirit's globulous chin. "Fenn, this is Lady Aleda. She is from our homeland."

"He's cute." Aleda leaned in to get a closer look at the purring creature. Fenn opened his big eyes and blinked at her. "There are creatures like this in Lacroa?"

"Aye, there are many Spirits in our land, as well as humans and robots like us."

"What's it like there?" Aleda asked, straightening.

"It is a beautiful country," Zero said, his eyes taking on the shimmer of the stars overhead. "The castles are majestic. They rise high enough to see from miles away. The landscape is filled with natural wonders of beauty: rolling fields of elegant flowers, enchanting sun-dappled forests, and lakes with water so clear and pure that you can see to the very bottom. By day, Lacroa is bright and cheerful, and by night, it is filled with mysteries and awe-inspiring wonders. The stars can be seen by the thousands, and the moonlight from the two moons illuminates the earth magnificently."

"Better than this?" Aleda asked, lifting her green eyes to the starlit sky that they'd soon ascend to.

Zero followed her glance. "Yes," he said, "lovelier than this, if I do say so, myself."

"I can't wait to see it." The Gundamess's wings quivered with excitement.

Zero's smile died. "I am afraid, milady, that right now you would not be so glad to see it." Aleda jerked her gaze from the stars to him. "Lacroa is normally as I have described. However, two years ago the evil Dark Axis invaded the country and turned it all to stone."

"Turned to stone?" Aleda repeated. When Zero nodded, she gaped behind her mouthguard. "Really? But, that... I thought turning into stone was a... fairy tale thing?"

"I am afraid not, milady. I am the only one who managed to escape. Every organic creature in Lacroa—including humankind—has been petrified, and on my last visit, there were no Gundams in sight."

"Gundams?"

"That is what we are called. You, me, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru, although not all from the same place, are all Gundams. You noticed that we're very different from the mobile citizens, right?"

"Yeah. But, I didn't know there was a name for me—us. These people you're with—"

"The Super Dimensional Guard."

"Super Dimensional Guard. They've known about our existence for a long time, but they kept us hidden?"

"Yes. Well, sort of. The Neotopian Gundams have been hidden in the SDG for years, but Bakunetsumaru and I only met them recently. You, Baku, and I were born naturally, unlike the Neotopian robots, but somehow we have a lot of similarities with Neotopian Gundams."

"So...we can't go to Lacroa, now?"

"No, we cannot."

Aleda's wings drooped. "I really wanted to see it."

"Do not lose heart, milady. There is yet hope to save our homeland." He held Fenn out to her. "It is said in Lacroan legend that Fenn is the key to saving our world."

"When he grows up?"  
"Uh…yes, I suppose," Zero said.

Fenn huffed indignantly but did not spew fire, much to Zero's relief.

Behind her mouthguard, the corners of Aleda's lips lifted into a smile. "Can I pet him?"

"Go ahead," Zero said. "He likes feminine attention."

Aleda, giggling, slowly reached out a hand and stroked Fenn's forehead with one slender metal finger. Fenn chirruped in happiness, so she continued to pet him, scratching his back and sides. Purrs rolled from his little body.

"See? He's taken a liking to you, already. You can hold him; he'll want you to continue petting him." Zero took one of Aleda's hands and gently placed Fenn in her palm.

"Thanks," Aleda said, blushing at the brief touch. "Hi, little Fenn," she cooed at the fluffy creature, rubbing him on the tuft of his head. Fenn's purr swelled louder.

"We had best be flying now," Zero said. "We must arrive at the base before midnight, or we may be shut out."

Aleda nodded. "Okay." The wing shapes on her back perked, and she rose away from the ground, followed by Zero.

"So, milady, may I know more about you?" Zero asked, flashing a charming grin.

"Oh. Uhm..."

"I am curious about your adopted family. What are they like?"

"Uh, well, they live out in the country, but we used to live in Neotopia." Aleda mindlessly rubbed Fenn's hair as she spoke. "Dad's a scientist."

Zero nodded. "A noble profession."

"I have six other siblings."

Zero beamed. "A lively household, then."

"Yeah. They've always treated me like part of the family. They even call me by a pet name."

Concealed by his visor, Zero lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? Out of curiosity, milady, what nickname did they give you?"

Aleda dipped her face into Fenn's fur. "'Little Wing.' After the song."

"I am not familiar with that song, but it sounds like a fitting nickname."

"I was little, and I had wings, and... um... so..." Aleda stuttered.

Zero nodded. "Very fitting," he repeated. Then, he spoke, "You have spent many years in this world. When did you learn that you were from elsewhere?"

The Gundamess extracted her faceplate from Fenn's fluff. "Dad told me a couple years ago, though I'd already figured it out by then." With a rueful smile, she added, "I look different from the mobile citizens here."

"Let me assure you, lady, that there is nothing wrong with your appearance," Zero interjected. "You look quite beautiful, forgiving my brashness."

"O-Oh, no, it's fine. Thank you," the Gundamess said, blushing.

"It is only right to praise a deserving lady."

Above them, they could see White Base's hand-shaped cloud cover intruding on the edge of the moon; they were near. "Um... So, Lacroa is a feudal world like medieval times, right?" Aleda said.

"That is correct."

"And the rulers are called kings and queens, and their children are princes and princesses?"

"Yes."

"Who're the king and queen now?"

"The rightful royal family is the Miya line." His eyes sparkled with delight at the memories. "The king is Richard, the Queen is Marilyn, and their daughter is Princess Relejimana. As a knight, it was my duty to protect Her Highness..." Zero's face fell. "A duty which I failed," he admitted softly.

"Oh…" Aleda averted her eyes. "Well, she's only turned to stone, right?" Zero nodded. "Then, when Fenn saves Lacroa, he'll save her, too, right?" Aleda said with a smile.

Zero smiled weakly back. "I pray to Mana you are right."

...

"Where is that pansy?" Bakunetsumaru demanded. "He's been gone for 25 minutes! It doesn't take that long to get to Shute's house and back."

"The new girl went with him. Maybe that has something to do with it," Guneagle chuckled.

Baku's eyes bugged out. "What?! Aleda, too?!"

"Yeah. Man, I'm jealous."

Baku dashed to the nearest window and pressed his face to the glass. He searched in vain: all he could see was black and the reflection of the lights within the base. The samurai peeled himself away. "Zero, you womanizer! We gotta go find them!" Baku dashed for a door that led towards the launch deck.

"Where are you going?" Guneagle asked.

"To drag them back before curfew!"

"Why would they take another 45 minutes to get back?" Guneagle said, flying after the frantic Arkian.

They arrived outside on one of the base's "fingers" just in time to see two Gundam-sized figures approaching from the air. "See? I told you," Guneagle jabbed at Baku as the Lacroans touched down.

"'Told you' what?" Zero inquired. He and Aleda walked towards the pair, Aleda passing Fenn back to Zero in the process. Fenn whined in displeasure.

"O-Oh, nothing," Baku said, a bead of moisture sliding down his helmet.

"Right," Zero sarcastically spat.

"You guys were gone so long that he thought he was gonna have to check on you," Guneagle said with a sideways glance at Baku.  
"Oh, we were only…" Zero began. Then, his eyes widened. "Bakunetsumaru! How dare you even think that!"

"What? What is it?" Aleda asked.

As the other two Gundams gaped at her in shock, Zero said quickly, "Nothing, milady," and bowed and offered a hand. "My dear Lady of Lacroa, let us enter. You still need to be assigned a room."

"It's 346. They assigned it while you were out," Guneagle said.

Zero noted the number without acknowledging the one who spoke. "Would you give me the honor of escorting you?" he asked the Gundamess.

Aleda flushed red as she took his hand.

Zero beamed. "Thank you, milady. I am honored!"

As Zero started to guide her towards the open hangars, Aleda hissed to him, "What was going on?"

"Nothing that you need concern yourself with. Bakunetsumaru is having absurd thoughts. Come, milady."

"Fre~nn?" Fenn blinked in confusion.

Once they were in the main hallways, Aleda said, "Zero?" The knight met her gaze attentively. Her face was still red, and she appeared quite uncomfortable. "Zero, you could let go of my hand, now."

"Oh…If that is your wish," Zero said, relinquishing his grasp.

Bell Wood came walking by. "Hey, you two!" he greeted them with a wave. "What's up?"

"I'm escorting the lady to her room," Zero said.

"Ah, yeah, been a long day, hasn't it?" Bell Wood said.

The Gundamess gave a shy, silent bob of her head in response.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask ya, Aleda: can I see that portal detector of yours that ya mentioned earlier? I'll give it back, but I wanna see how it works."

"Sure," Aleda answered. She held out her hand, and a bulky black device poofed into existence in her palm.

Zero gaped behind his faceguard. Bell Wood chuckled. "So, you can do that magic stuff, too, huh?"

Aleda nodded. "A little," she said. "You can keep it if you want," she added as she handed the small device to Bell Wood. "Dad gave it to me, but it's served its purpose."

"Cool, thanks!" Bell Wood briefly turned over the device before addressing them, again, with "Well, I better let ya get to sleep. See you guys around."

"'Bye, Bell Wood," Aleda said.

Bell Wood went on down the hall, whistling to himself.

Then, the Lacroans noticed another whistle coming from the fuzzball in Zero's hand. "That was quick," Aleda commented, watching Fenn's tiny body fall and rise with his breathing.

"Yes. It usually takes him a long time to succumb to sleep. His tears tired him," Zero said regretfully. His eyes rose to peer curiously at Aleda. "You didn't tell me you could conjure magic."

"Sorry. I didn't think much about it," Aleda replied, looking away bashfully. "Making small things appear and disappear is all I can do. I've done that since I was little. No one taught me; it was just instinct."

Zero grinned. "This is good news, milady! You already have the potential for magic! I could help you develop your abilities and teach you more advanced spells, if you so wish."

"I could use magic like yours?" Aleda asked.

"Well, it would take some time before you could cast some of my spells, but I believe that is a level you could reach. What say you, milady?"

"That sounds nice." Aleda fingered the edge of her skirt piece anxiously. "Um..." Zero's smirk faded at the Gundamess's unexpected hesitance. "I'll think about it," she said.

Zero nodded. "If you ever wish to, just give me the word."

"Um…Well…I guess I'll be going to my room."

"Should I escort you?" Zero said eagerly. "I mean, to the door?" he quickly amended.

"No, but thank you." The Gundamess bent down and lightly kissed Fenn on his forehead. The Lacroan spirit made soft "Fefe" sounds, but did not wake. "Good night, Fenn," Aleda whispered with a giggle. Then, with a smile, "Good night, Zero." And she turned and floated away.

Zero gazed after her until she drifted around the corner. He growled to himself once she was gone, "By the Spirits, I've fouled it up! I've surely frightened her!" He shook his head regretfully and stroked his Spirit friend. "I'm just so excited to see another Gundam from Lacroa, Fenn, that I can barely contain myself..."

Zero carried Fenn to his room and set the little fuzzball down on his bed. "Sleep well, little one," he said fondly before returning through the sliding doors. He was not going to sleep quite yet; he had some unfinished business to take care of, and it rhymed with...well, what _did _rhyme with Baku's name?

...

Meanwhile, Aleda laid down on her bed with a sigh. The room was an average bedroom size, like most of the other quarters in White Base. The walls were off-white, the bed and furniture plain white, and the ceiling was, again, white as a sheet of paper. Against one wall stood an unadorned dresser with a mirror above it. A nightstand rested beside the bed. A robot recharge station waited in one corner, and a table in another corner. A shuttered window without curtains was set in the wall to the right of the bed. Overall, a pleasant enough room designed for use by either humans or mobile citizens. Some personal articles would be needed before it felt homey, though.

But, the décor was not on Aleda's mind at the moment. She stared at the ceiling, thinking. At last, she had answers: Lacroa, a land straight from a fairy tale, with princes, princesses, kings and queens, castles, magic, swordfights, enchantment, and, not least of all, knights. Knight Gundams, especially. And, a certain Knight Gundam was her link to this other world—her only link, as far as she knew—so she couldn't let him go. And, yet...

Being near him set her GunSoul pounding and filled her stomach with tingly sensations. A touch of his hand sent a jolt up her arm that spread to her entire body. Whenever Aleda saw him look at her, heat rushed into her cheeks. _I must have looked like an idiot_, she thought, groaning. And even worse, the handsome knight's presence seemed to fritz her logic circuits as well, clouding her judgments like fog clouding a window. _Like when I made him let go of my hand…Oh, what was I thinking?! And I want to learn more magic, don't I?! _

Aleda sighed wistfully again. She could not call it love; after all, she had only known him for one evening. But his sensitivity and bravery charmed her, and he had even saved her life. _I feel so stupid_, Aleda thought. _Why am I already so... Ugh! _With a frustrated huff, she turned on her side. _M__aybe I just like him because he's from my homeland and he rescued me. Maybe this will go away, soon…_

Aleda hugged herself, curling as tightly as she could under the blankets. _I can't feel this way. It'll end up the same. It always does. _

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

I hope this chapter's size was manageable. Please review: How is Aleda? How are the interactions and banter between characters? Are the chapters too long? Is everything making sense? Is interest sustained? Please let me know if it's not.

-Penelopi

11-13-15: Chapter 2 has been revised in order to gel better with the slightly changed dialogue in Chapter 1, to better gel with the story, improve Aleda's early characterization, and overall improve the writing. Dialogue differs, but the basic events are the same.


	3. What's for Breakfast?

**Author's Notes**

Hey, everyone! Sorry for the large gap between chapters! I just finished up finals, and I was writing something new, so it took a while.

"Something new" means, yes, I've been writing another big chunk from scratch instead of just editing old work. The grocery store is a completely new scene from what I originally had in there. I'm hoping it will help flesh out early interactions between Zero and my OC. It contains more fun encounters with Dark Axis, so I hope you'll like it!

Thanks again for feedback, Titanic X!

And the rest of you: please give me feedback, too! I want to make this better!

* * *

**Chapter 3: What's for Breakfast?**

"Good morning, Zero."

"Good morning to you, Captain."

The two Gundams passed each other in the hall on the way to their respective destinations: for Captain, the training room; for Zero, the kitchen.

Zero passed through the sliding doors entering the kitchen to see that Bakunetsumaru, as always, was already there chowing down on riceballs. "Fi, Sero," Baku said between bites.

"Please, don't gabber with your mouth full of food," Zero scolded, floating over to the cabinets. "Is there anything left?"

Baku rolled his eyes and swallowed. "Good morning to you, too," he said clearer now that his mouth was empty. A bowl was next to him, empty except for a lining of milk at the bottom. "There's frozen steak and pasta in the fridge. We're fresh out of cereal."

"I wonder why," Zero muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!" Baku called.

Zero ignored him and slid over to the fridge and opened the door. "Aha! Here's where the bread was hiding!" he said triumphantly as he dragged the loaf out of the crisper near the bottom. Suddenly, his laughter ceased and he peered more closely through the plastic bag. The knight experimentally tapped the loaf on a countertop. Clack! Clack! Clack! Zero groaned. "Why was it in the freezer?" Grumbling, he stomped over to the microwave. "Now I'll eat cold spots…"

While the bread rotated in the machine, Zero walked over to Baku's table and sat in the nearest chair. Baku gulped down another rice ball. "So, what _did _take you and Aleda so long to get back last night?" he began deviously.

Zero raised a digital eyebrow. "I don't know what you're insinuating," he growled. "We had to calm Fenn, because he was distressed that I left him alone. And, Miss Keiko scolded Shute and me for tardiness."

"So, there's nothing?"

Zero narrowed his eyes and glanced at the samurai suspiciously. "Whatever do you mean?"

Baku looked back at him slyly. "You know what I mean." And with that, he grabbed the empty cereal bowl on the side, tipped it back, and drank the milk.

"I don't understand why you persist in that rude habit." The microwave beeped.

"No good letting the milk go to waste."

"Whatever." Bakunetsumaru failed to sense a purple rose appearing on his horn. Zero chuckled to himself as he turned to the microwave.

Baku barely heard him. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Zero said. He extracted soggy bread from the microwave.

Baku stood to throw his empty bowl into the sink. But, as he passed the microwave, the reflection in its black door caused him to huff. "Zero!" He wheeled. "Get this flower off my helmet!"

"I'm busy," Zero said over his shoulder. He set down a stick of butter next to a plate of the ice-cored bread. "Go practice your poor excuse for swordsmanship."

"What?! My swordsmanship, poor?!"

"Yes, that's what I said."

"I'll show you who the better swordsman is, pansy!" Baku ripped the flower off his helmet and drew his katana.

"I accept your challenge," Zero said, raising his hand to summon his sword and shield. His trusty weapons emerged from his magic circle and lowered with familiar ease into his awaiting hands.

Aleda entered to see the knight and the samurai facing off beside the breakfast table, swords drawn and held at the ready. "Good morning?" she began hesitantly.

The Gundams blinked at her.

"Lady Aleda!" Zero exclaimed in surprise.

"Uh…hey, Aleda," Baku said nervously.

"You two aren't planning to spar in the kitchen… are you?"

The Vatras sword and the shield vanished. "I apologize, milady," Zero said. "You are right. It's very dangerous to be sparring in a kitchen. It was terribly immature of me to partake in this."

"Oh, of course. Now you try to cover it up. A woman comes and you go to any length to make yourself look good. So stupid," Baku spat.

"It's not stupid. Chivalry is a sign of civility," Zero countered.

"Do you two fight all the time?" Aleda asked. Zero glided to her as Baku sheathed his swords.

"Bakunetsumaru and I only fight in jest. Our seemingly harsh words conceal our deep respect for each other," Zero said. Baku snorted. A purple rose appeared at Zero's fingertips, and he held it before the Gundamess. "Though we promise, milady, that we shall not spar in the kitchen from now on."

Aleda grasped the rose and took a deep whiff of its fragrance. She grinned at Zero's words. "So I can be sure you won't cause fires in here?"

"Never, milady," Zero promised.

"At least until he cooks," Baku interjected.

"Oi!" Zero protested, throwing him a sharp glance.

Aleda looked past them to the kitchen table. "Speaking of cooking, what's for breakfast?"

"Er..." Zero began.

"Mushy bread," Baku answered.

Aleda flew to the fridge and searched inside. "There are some eggs."

"We always burn them when we try to cook," Baku said with a casual shrug.

"Oh. Well, I could cook them for you."

"Really?" Baku grinned excitedly. A gurgle came from Zero's belly, and he turned away before they could see his embarrassed blush.

"Sure. How would you like them?" Aleda asked. She removed the egg carton.

"Sunny side up!" Baku answered enthusiastically.

Zero turned back. "Deviled is my favorite."

Aleda scanned the fridge. "I don't see anything to mix the yolk with for deviled eggs. I could go to the grocery store," she offered.

"No need to go to such trouble, milady," the Knight Gundam said quickly. "Scrambled is fine."

"I guess I'll cook some scrambled now so you can eat, and then I can get groceries, later?"

"You don't have to run errands for us!" Zero fretted. "You're a guest."

"Well, I thought it would be a good way to return the favor," Aleda said, her voice trailing off into a mumble. "For saving me, you know..."

"That's fine," Baku said. Grinning, he clapped the Winged Knight on the shoulder. "Zero can go with you. It'll make him feel better if he carries everything for you."

Zero turned his head to shoot a glare at Baku. "Yes, I'd—" He morphed his expression into a smile as he looked at Aleda. "—be happy to help."

So, Aleda started the eggs on two skillets, while Baku and Zero waited at the table. "What are you trying to do?" Zero hissed at the Arkian.

"Nothing." Baku grinned.

Zero huffed at the wall. "Bakanetsumaru, Bakanetsumaru..."

"What is that?" Baku said.

"Nothing," Zero said with an equally mischievous grin. Then, the two fidgeted silently as they waited for their food.

After a few minutes, the Gundamess switched off the stove. "Here you go," Aleda said with a shy smile, handing a plate of eggs to each Gundam.

Baku immediately scarfed them down. "Mmm! That's good!"

Zero forked a bite into his mouth, and his eyes widened in surprise. "They _are _good," he gasped. Looking at the Gundamess, he said, "These are the best eggs I've had in Neotopia, Lady Aleda!"

She blushed. "Thank you. I used lots of butter."

"Ifur lookin fur a gai, I'll hafoo," Baku said between bites.

Aleda giggled.

"You need better manners, first," Zero scoffed.

...

After the small breakfast, and after Zero woke and fed Fenn, Zero and Aleda visited the grocery store with an SDG credit card in hand. Aleda picked up a grocery basket at the entrance.

"May I carry that for you, milady?" Zero asked.

Aleda blushed. "It's okay. You don't need to."

"Please allow me. I want to be useful to you, and I, well..." Zero scratched his helm. "I don't know much about grocery stores, so..."

"Oh. Well, sure, then," Aleda said.

Zero, beaming, took the basket from her hand, accidentally brushing her fingers as he did so. "Thank you, milady."

"You're welcome," she said. Then, quickly, she shook her head and amended, "Er, th-thank you!"

Zero chuckled. "Let's begin, Lady Aleda. "Where to, first?"

"Um... The dairy."

"Lead the way."

Aleda floated towards the back, and Zero followed. As she went, Aleda pondered again the strange effect the Knight Gundam had on her. "Pardon us, madam," Zero said as they wove past an old woman.

A memory drifted to the fore of Aleda's data processor, of another male ushering her through gently through a crowd by the hand while politely saying, "Excuse us, excuse us." _Oh. Is it because he reminds me of him? _Aleda wondered a little sadly.

"Is there something the matter?" Zero asked, coming beside her.

"No." Aleda tucked her frown under a smile. "Here's the dairy."

From the dairy, they collected more eggs and milk, and then they browsed other aisles for fresh bread, cereal, and, at Aleda's insistence, green beans, lettuce, onions, and spinach. Zero was, indeed, happy to carry everything for her, and it was no effort for his gargantuan Gundam strength. But, once the extra vegetables were added, it was too much for just a basket, and they had to find a cart.

"I'm sorry," Aleda said as she placed the clusters of spinach in the cart, on top of the eggs and cereal. "I didn't think we'd get this much."

"Milady, may I ask what all this is for?" Zero said, eyeing the spinach in the cart nervously. He set a bag of onions next to it.

"I was thinking of putting it with steak," Aleda said, smiling bashfully. "Most guys like meat, but I wanted everyone to eat a balanced meal, so..."

Zero perked up at the word "steak." "It sounds scrumptious."

"I hope so."

They pushed into the frozen meat section. Aleda moved along a line of packaged T-bone steaks, sizing them up for plumpness and redness. She found one that looked appealing and picked it up to inspect it closer. A strange buzz reached her auditory sensors. Down, under where the meat had been, a Bagu-Bagu skittered over a rock. Or what was now a rock.

Aleda nearly dropped the meat. "What's that?"

Zero dropped the basket, jumped in between her and the mechanical bug, and in a flash of blue, his sword was in his hand and through the fiend. "A Bagu-Bagu," he said grimly. He withdrew his sword, leaving a crack in the stone meat underneath. "It turns any organic substance into stone. These are the tools Dark Axis used to petrify Lacroa." He looked at Aleda. "There may be more nearby. Pardon me, milady, but our shopping must wait. I must hunt the Bagu-Bagu down before they reach the humans."

"Is there a way I can help?" Aleda offered.

Zero nodded. "The humans must be evacuated from the area. Could you relay this to them?"

"Yeah. And then I'll come help you."

Zero shook his head. "You mustn't, Lady Aleda. While they're foolish brutes, they're still strong enough to kill a Gundam. I'd rather you gather reinforcements at White Base."

Aleda's wings drooped slightly. "Okay."

"Alright. I'm off. Be careful, milady." Zero's cape swished behind him as he turned.

"You, too," Aleda said.

The Winged Knight rounded the corner out of sight, and Aleda left the cart of groceries and beelined for the front of the grocery store. She came to the customer service desk and said, "There's an emergency! Everyone needs to get out, now!"

"What is it?" the GM at the counter asked.

"There are... bugs that are turning things into stone!" Aleda said, wondering at how ridiculous her own words sounded. "All the humans need to leave before they get bitten!"

"Is this a joke?"

"No, it's—"

A heavy and jarring crash echoed from the back. Surprised shouts sprang up all over the store. "What?!" the GM exclaimed. He pressed a button on the counter. "Inventory to customer service! Inventory to customer service!"

Crack! The back wall began to split, and the customers, screaming, flooded to the front.

Guessing the correct course of action, Aleda moved to the doors and called, "Everyone, get out, now!" A stampede flowed her way, and she pounded the handicap assistance button. The doors on her side of the store swung open wide. She waved the customers out. "Keep moving!" The GM at customer service stopped gawking and moved to help usher customers.

Several crunching noises sounded outside, though, and they turned to see Zakos stomping towards the store and the escaping human and robot customers. Aleda's GunSoul plunged.

...

Zero floated alongside the frozen meat as he inspected the food with his eyes and listened for Bagu-Bagu with his audio processors. As he neared the back doors leading into the inventory and loading space, the dreaded sound of buzzing reached him. He touched his hand to the door and then cautiously, slowly entered.

The space was unlit. He could only see two shafts of light coming from the slats on the double doors. But, the buzzing dinned close by, along with other mechanical sounds.

The Winged Knight looked left to see a cloud of little purple lights—all Bagu-Bagu. "Filthy vermin!" He raised his sword, and his mana circle appeared at the ceiling. Little tiny glowing swords slashed at the Bagu-Bagu swarm. It looked like a war between fireflies—a very one-sided war. The Bagu-Bagu started to scatter. The purple and the white illuminated the room. Zero followed the rising sparkles up to an imposing face.

It scowled at him from a hulking form with tank treads. And, it was rumbling toward him, one huge arm raised.

Zero side-flew the arm as it came down, and it widely missed, hitting a stack of loaded boxes, instead, that tumbled down and spilled heavy bags of rice. Up on the machine's head, a Control Horn was locked and glowing. The logo on the side of the machine read "Preston" and below that was the label "Packer Model 8003." _It's the machine that packages the food, _Zero noted. _I shouldn't destroy it unless absolutely necessary. _

"Ack!" He dodged when the arm curved its course to follow him. A loud crack sounded; the machine had punched the wall behind him, creating a deep vertical line that leaked light from the outside, snaking from top to bottom like a glowing stream. Panicked cries sounded out there, accompanied by the rumble of many feet. "Quiet! Don't frighten them!" Zero rebuked the possessed packing machine.

"They should be scared."

Zero glared behind the machine at a single glowing red dot. "Gouf—wah!" He barely evaded a swipe from the giant Preston machine's arm.

Grappler Gouf stepped into the light of Zero's magic swords as the two tangled. "Yeah, it's me. Welcome to our new Bagu-Bagu production line!"

Zero caught the Preston Packer's swinging arm with his shield. "You've been creating them here? Where are the workers?!" he demanded.

Grappler turned around, and the red glow of his eye illuminated the faces of powered-down GMs slumped on the floor. "All here. No humans, sadly. I was looking forward to petrifying people. Though I guess we'll get around to it, soon."

Metal clicks and clinks emitted as Zero clenched his sword and shield tighter. "You won't succeed this time, Grappler."

"Oh, really? I've already petrified all the food that was shipped here this morning. Give it a bit longer, and we'll cut off the entire city's food supply. All humans will either be petrified or starving." Then, Gouf smirked. "And, to make sure the Gundam Force can't interfere with our operations, we have a perimeter around the building." Zero's digital eyes widened. "No one's coming in or going out."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I just couldn't resist making a cliffhanger here! So, Grappler's got his plan, Zero has his work cut out for him, and Aleda—well, she hasn't been in a fight with Dark Axis, yet, so this is bound to push her out of her comfort zone. I've got the whole scenario almost finished, so it won't be long before you can find out how well they fare. :)

This chapter, you got a hint of some yet unspoken parts of Aleda's backstory. I'll let you speculate for now about who/what the "male" in her memory is. Next time, I'll include another hint for another aspect of her background that should be really interesting. This latter aspect is something that I didn't touch on much originally but that I think I should really expand in this second version. If it's done right, it will tie together my OC and a key unanswered question of the SDGF universe. If it's done badly, well, I'm sorry, and I'll fix it if you let me know.

Please give me some feedback so I can get a grasp on how well my fic is jiving for you all! There's only so much I can glean from the traffic stats and favoriting stats.

-Penelopi


	4. Healing Touch

**Author's Notes**

Hey, readers! It took longer than I expected (I get to fussing with my writing until I finally have to say enough's enough), but this is a longer chapter than the last one, so I hope that made up for it. We find out what happened to Zero and Aleda's shopping trip, get another hint about Aleda's backstory, see more bromance banter between Zero and Baku, and more! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **All of the characters in this chapter belong to Bandai except for my original character Aleda. I'm not selling this, so I'm not making illegal or unlicensed profit from the Gundam or SD Gundam Force series. I'm not claiming Bandai's characters as my own, so I'm not violating copyright, either.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Healing Touch**

Kao Lyn danced around Guneagle, who was powered down on his work table, inspecting his cracked wings at various angles. "Hoo, they landed a good shot on you!" he whistled. "Don't worry, I'll get you patched up in a jiffy." He reached for a welding helmet from a rack against the wall.

The door to his work room slid open, and a certain masked chief entered. Kao Lyn bounced up and saluted. "Chief Haro, sir! What are you here for?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"Is it urgent enough to interrupt Guneagle's repairs?" Kao Lyn twirled a welding torch in his hand.

"I'd rather start the discussion before it slips my mind again: what should we do with the Gundamess?"

Kao Lyn's kooky yin-yang glasses swirled behind the welding mask. "What does she want to do?"

"She doesn't want to tell her parents about this. She wants to stay here at SDG until she can visit her homeland."

"She doesn't recognize us, does she?"

"No. I'm wearing the Haro mask, and she hasn't seen you, yet."  
"Her folks would be upset if she stayed here without permission."

"Agreed. But, they have no legal guardianship over her, because she's not a human, so the dilemma is moral, not legal."

Kao Lyn twirled. "Woo! Well, you're the family man. You decide."

Chief Haro sighed behind his mask. "That's the one answer I didn't want to hear."

...

"We formed a perimeter around the building. No one's coming in or going out."

"You're taking all of the civilians hostage?" Zero gaped.

"Well, yeah, why wouldn't we?" Gouf shrugged.

Images of frozen eyes, lips stuck forever in screams, and shattered robot shells flashed through Zero's data processor. The Winged Knight trembled. "I won't let you, you savage monster." He leapt for the Control Horn on the Preston machine's head, but both arms came up and swatted him into the wall, which cracked under the force of his dense, high-velocity body. Gundam and rubble fell on the other side of the wall and crushed the shelves of frozen meat.

With a displeased grunt, Zero picked himself up out of the rubble. "I'll take that device, somehow," he growled at the hole where the packing machine's face glowered.

Heavy crunches and alarmed screams sounded behind him. Zero turned to see, past the storefront's large windows, a rank of Zakos closing in on all of the escaping citizens, spraying Bagu-Bagu. "No!" He abandoned his opponents to fly to the front and protect the innocents.

...

Another loud crash distracted Aleda from the horrifying sight out the window. When she wheeled, she saw Zero shaking off rubble and rising out of a crushed meat display. She almost flew to him, urged by a mixture of concern and fear for her own life, but a buzz and new cries stopped her. Outside, clouds of Bagu-Bagu sprayed from the Zakos' devices.

Desperately, Aleda zoomed out the open doors and threw herself in front of the citizens. Bagu-Bagu pinged against her hide ineffectually. She swatted at them frantically. Some broke and fell, cracked, against the pavement. But, the cloud started to swim around her. _They need to disappear, like...! _Aleda reached out her hands, and Bagu-Bagu around her poofed out of existence. She wheeled and faced the Bagu-Bagu behind her, which had come within a foot of humans. In the rows leading to the tip of the formation, the bugs vanished with little pops.

The Zakos stopped the spray and blinked in surprise. "Zako?"

"Why did you stop?" screeched a rough voice. Zapper Zaku hopped furiously behind the Zakos. "Keep going until there are so many, she can't get rid of them!"

"Milady!" Zero swooped in with a Lacroan Crescent and a flurry of tiny magic shining swords. The continuing onslaught of Bagu-Bagu evaporated like moths flying into fire. He dove on the line of Zakos and bowled them over.

"Hey!" Zapper raised his machine gun and fired, but a whip of Zero's shield bounced the bullets away. Zero passed close to Aleda and the customers, and a blue force field expanded from him to cover the front.

Behind them, the door-frame smashed and the Preston packing machine rumbled out with Grappler Gouf riding on a platform on its front.

"This is a predicament," Zero huffed. His force field reached only the front half of the crowd.

Aleda beside him said, "Preston's on their side, too?"

"No, it's being controlled by that ugly thing on its head." Zero nodded up at the Control Horn. Robots and humans scattered in front of Preston, only to be corralled by the shrinking loop of Zakos. "Lady Aleda, fly to request reinforcements. I'll cover your escape." Preston started to speed ahead.

"But they're—"

Zero darted in front of the treads' path and rammed the machine with his shield to stop it. "Go!"

The mini-sword spell was still in effect and shielding exposed citizens from Bagu-Bagu. The I-Shield soaked Zapper Zaku's bullets. Zero pushed his magic flight thrusters to keep Preston at bay, but he breathed heavily, and condensation built around his vents. He was tiring and overheating.

The slap of a giant hand flung Zero to the pavement. Coughing, he gathered his feet beneath him and raised his head just in time to see a white-and-gold blur zip at Preston's Control Horn. "Don't!" he cried.

Aleda pulled at the horn and then, when it didn't come off, kicked it furiously until it started to spark. One of Preston's hands slapped her, sending her flying. The force also broke the Control Horn; a broken piece of it was in Aleda's hands. The Gundamess crumpled against the side of the grocery store building. "Aleda!"

...

Chief Haro sat at his desk, pressing his bulbous mask in his hands. He reached for his phone. Suddenly, an alarm sounded, and a screen on the wall came to life. "What is it?" Chief Haro asked Juli's face as he stood.

"Dark Axis has attacked the grocery store in Neotopia Centre Mall! Based on the reports, Zero is engaging about 50 enemies and defending about 70 civilians. Enemies are armed with Bagu-Bagu."

"Drat." Chief Haro pounded the table. "We need to reinforce him and evacuate the civilians, pronto! Prepare Gunperrys 5 through 8. Captain and Bakunetsumaru will board Gunperry 7."

"What about Shute, sir?"

Chief Haro tensed. "I don't want to risk exposing him to Bagu-Bagu. Captain can manage. Over and out."

"Roger. Over and out."

...

Preston's red eyes returned to a white glow, his glowering face changed to neutral, and his rolling ceased. "Agh! Really?" Grappler complained. "I liked that one!" In the next second, Preston smacked him off his platform. "Ack!"

The Zakos charged at the force field in front of their would-be victims. The first group slammed against it ineffectually, but the next wave crawled over them, and the next over them, creating a climbing mass that threatened to cross the dome. On the other side, a few Zakos peeked over the edge of the roof.

Zero stared hopelessly at the Lady Gundamess lying on the concrete. _No, I've...! _He remembered broken Gundamesses, crushed, lasered, and blown apart as Dark Axis had broken into the inner streets of Lacroa's capital. He remembered one who'd come close enough to the escaping princess's escort for him to see her terrified face, only for a Doga to dive and crush her right before he could reach her. Even as the supposed Chosen One of Lacroa, his helplessness had not changed.

Then, Aleda winced and moved her arms to lift herself. Zero let out his held breath and immediately glided to her. "Milady, are you alright?" he asked as he pulled her to her feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, dusting the armor around her leg. "Are you?" she continued, noting how his hand was shaking.

"Yes, but you gave me a fright! Stay close to me," Zero said insistently. "They're still dangerous."

"Okay."

In the next second, Zero intercepted Grappler's claw. The two pushed against each other, their claw and sword locked together, while Aleda floated backwards towards Preston. Grappler's one eye traveled to Zero's cheek. "I see you haven't lost the mark of our last fight," he taunted. "I'll give you a deeper one, this time."

"Try it, you dog!" Zero spat.

More screams came as the Zakos started to vault over the force field. But, a long arm reached over and smacked the first one, and he hit the ground with his face instead of his feet. Preston smiled, pleased with the result of his help, and took another swat. The oncoming Zakos tried to backpedal, but their fellows behind them were in the way. The crowd of customers evacuated the space between Preston and the force field dome. The packing machine rolled close and swatted the foes some more, clearing them off the force field like snow from a windshield.

"What are you doing?! Get out of its way!" Zapper Zaku spluttered.

The Zakos on the roof leapt down behind Preston. Civilians ducked and screamed.

Helicopter rotors pattered into hearing range. The crowd of Zakos started cowering under four Gunperrys. Zapper stopped raving at his subordinates and aimed his guns at the closest one.

Grappler looked up at the approaching reinforcements. "Great—ack!" Grappler dodged a jab from the Vatra Sword. "Watch it!" he said. Zero continued his swings relentlessly, and Grappler batted them away with his claws.

Zapper fired, and the targeted Gunperry veered to evade. Beams fired from the open doors of another Gunperry and knocked Zapper Zaku off-balance. The Dark Axis captain fell on his butt. Captain Gundam lowered his beam rifle. "I have been granted special dispensation to use weapons in Neotopia. So have my friends. Lower your weapons and surrender, now!"

"Zero! Aleda! Hold on!" shouted Bakunetsumaru beside him.

"We've failed to secure hostages!" Grappler called to his comrades as he defended himself from Zero's blade. "Everyone, retreat! Abandon the base!"

The scrambling Zakos picked up their fallen and rushed the other way, into a closed-down restaurant. The civilians still huddled together in fear. Grappler dodged a sword swing and dove for Zero's right side. Zero slipped away, but not before getting punctures, and he brought his shield around to bash Grappler's head in retaliation. A loud ring echoed like a gong. Grappler, a dent in his helmet, almost fell, though he managed to stumble out of Zero's reach and shake the ringing out of his head. A fleeing Zako tripped and accidentally knocked into Zero, which allowed Grappler time to turn and run.

Aleda rushed to Zero's side as he shoved off the terrified Zako—who fled, screaming—and lifted himself from the pavement. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, eyeing the four slits under his arm.

"This is nothing, milady," Zero panted, forcing himself to stand straight and smile. "The wounds are shallow. I'll recover in no time."

Another loud crash, and the Komusai reared its glowing eye above the top of the closed restaurant. "Look out!" Zero dragged Aleda to the ground and cast another force field dome to cover them and the other half of the civilians. The Komusai flew low overhead but grated against the force field and bounced toward the Gunperrys. Number 7 dipped wildly to evade.

"Aaaah!" Baku screamed, throwing himself flat against his platform so he wouldn't fall off, as Captain gripped a handle on the side of the Gunperry and fired with his other hand.

But, the Komusai sped past. A purple vortex edged by a golden, horned frame opened in front of it, and after a last "We'll be back!" the Dark Axis team disappeared into the Zakorello Gate.

Destruction was left in their wake. Civilians trembled, some of them softly crying. The Gunperrys landed around the terrorized customers. "Stay where you are!" came a voice over a loudspeaker. "This location is still hazardous! Stay where you are until the premises are secured!" Captain and Baku jumped off, and the Gunperrys' doors swung open to release several armed GMs that enclosed the area. Preston was immediately surrounded. "We must scan this system for any residual effects of enemy tampering. Please follow us," the GMs instructed.

Zero uncovered the Lady Gundamess, and his sword and shield flashed into nothing. The force fields surrounding them evaporated. "Lady Aleda, are you unharmed?"

"Ye-yeah." Aleda's knees shook as she took Zero's hand. But, it was Zero's knees that buckled when he tried to pull her up. "Ah! Zero!" The knight held his injured side. "I'm sorry!"

Zero opened his mouth to say that he was fine, that it had only stung a moment, but Aleda knelt and touched his side, and a familiar cool sensation soothed his pain, emanating from a blue glow that seeped from her hands. He watched the Gundamess's face in surprise. Her green eyes flashed with a similarly startled expression, which then settled into focus. The few exposed wires sealed shut and hid under a thin new layer of encasement.

"Milady, I didn't know you could use healing magic, too," Zero said.

Aleda jolted. "O-oh! Is that what I'm doing? I just wanted to help, and when I touched it, my hands just—" The light blue glow died, and the soothing sensation with it. "Oh! It went away!" She withdrew her hands to stare at them in awe.

"You didn't know how to use it?" Zero asked.

Aleda dropped her hands and looked at him. "No, I was trying to see your injury, and I really wished I could help you, and then my body started doing something weird."

"I'm touched, milady," Zero said. He stood more easily, bearing only a couple of pinholes where the cuts once were, and offered her a hand. "And, I'm very impressed. It took me many tries to learn that spell."

"Thank you."

The peal of a laser pierced their conversation. "Zero, there are still Bagu-Bagu scattered on the premises!" Captain called.

Zero sighed. "Even after they're gone, we have to clean up their filth," he complained.

"Are you going to be okay? You seem tired," Aleda said.

"No matter how tired I may be, I must protect the innocent."

"I can help you."

"By making them disappear?" Zero said, remembering how he'd seen the Gundamess pop so many out of their reality.

"Yeah." She smiled.

"I couldn't ask you to do such a troublesome task, milady."

"I don't mind." Aleda flew toward Captain before Zero could make another objection.

"Milady is full of surprises," Zero commented to himself with a smile. Setting aside all of his questions, he rose to join her.

...

An hour later, Aleda, Zero, Baku, Captain, and Shute walked the halls of White Base again. "I am surprised that you defended against so many enemies before we reached you, Zero," Captain said.

"Ha! 50 Zakos is nothing compared to what I've faced in Lacroa," Zero bragged. "I once protected the princess from a dragon. This was no trouble."

"Oh, really? You seemed in pretty big trouble at the end," Baku jabbed.

Zero turned and jabbed him with his eyes. "50 Zakos is fine! 70 people to protect was the problem! And I handled it!" He then quickly amended, "With Lady Aleda's help." The Lady Gundamess lowered her eyes shyly, smiling. "Thank you again, milady."

"You're welcome," she said.

"I can't believe you all had an adventure without me," Shute moaned.

"I was surprised that Chief didn't let you go," Baku said. "You've survived the Bagu-Bagu before. I wonder what got him scared?"

"Chief Haro was very reluctant at first to allow Shute to stay in contact with me and the SDG. Perhaps this sentiment is resurfacing," Captain said soberly.

"I don't think it is as bad as that," Zero said. "Perhaps we can ask him about it later when he's not busy."

"Speaking of busy, what's on our schedule for the rest of the day? After taking on a squad of villains first thing in the morning, our schedule probably changed," Baku said.

"Chief Haro described the day's routine to us in the debrief," Captain reminded him. "We are to report to Kao Lyn for a checkup, check in with Juli for any new developments, and then, barring any additional combat, there will be lunch, training, patrol, and leisure." Looking at the female among their company, he added, "Aleda will report to Kao Lyn for a checkup, and then she will be free to spend leisure time in the designated areas where she is allowed access."

"Okay." Aleda nodded.

The Gundams all went to the lab, and Shute went to the lounge to wait for them. Kao Lyn admitted Zero first. Guneagle waved to him as he passed on his way out. "Have fun." Zero rolled his eyes in response. The door slid shut behind him.

"Aleda!" called Bell Wood from the next doorway. "I can take ya over here!"

The Gundamess floated to him. "Hi, Bell Wood," she chirped.

"I'm not as specialized in Gundams as Kao Lyn, but ya don't look too hurt, and I can do a quick check so ya don't hafta wait for him."

"That's fine."

Once the door slid shut, Bell Wood asked, "So, didja have any pain ya wanted me to fix?"

"My back and head hurt after I got thrown against a wall," Aleda confessed.

"Okay, got it. Lay down and I'll get ya scanned."

Aleda laid her back on the work table and looked around at the room, with its numerous monitors and recessed shelves filled with gadgetry. A bar lifted on one end of the table and passed over her. "We're no experts on Sola Diorama Gundams, but I'd say those little energy pools on your head and shoulder look like bruises."

"I think it's kind of like that."

"Other'n that and some signs of stress in the joints, you're okay. I can give ya somethin' to drink up excess energy discharge and prevent side effects from the leaks, and I can put braces on some of your joints, but the rest is up to ya gettin' some rest."

Aleda nodded. "I'd like that." _I've already got a big headache, so maybe the energy thing will help. _

"Sure thing. And don't do anythin' to stress your joints the next week; they look ready to pop if ya lift 500 kilograms or more."

"That's fine. I don't usually lift that much," Aleda said with a smile.

So, she was discharged with a couple of little black patches taped to her sore spots and two metal braces, one over her knee and one on her right elbow. Baku stood in the white hall outside, arms crossed, leaning against the wall, his eyescreens displaying shut digital lids. He slid slightly to the left and jolted awake. "Ah!" He looked wildly around, and, seeing Aleda, tried to recompose himself. "H-Hey." Baku looked off to the side. "So, you finished up already, huh?"

"Yeah." Aleda nodded.

"You have a lot of bandages."

"It's not as bad as it looks." Aleda waved it off.

"Oh. Okay." Baku shook off the rest of his lethargy. He noticed Aleda idly glancing at the door to Kao Lyn's lab. "What are you going to do, now?"

Aleda averted her green eyes shyly and mumbled, "Well, I'm a bit worried about Zero, so I thought I'd wait a bit." Then, looking at the Musha Gundam directly again, she asked, "What about you? Are you waiting?"

Baku flushed with embarrassment. "Me, concerned for that pansy? No way! Captain went to Shute's house, and I need a decent sparring partner. So, even though he's not nearly skilled enough, Zero will have to—"

"Excuse me? You don't even have half of my skill." Kao Lyn's lab door hissed shut behind Zero, who had a rubbery black patch stuck to his damaged side.

"What did you say?" Baku cried.

"You heard me. I'm more than twice the fighter as you!"

"Oh, yeah? Training room, now. Let's spar and see who's best!"

"I'll show you my prowess—!" Zero made a dramatic sweep of his right arm, until it caught mid-swing. "Urk!" The Winged Knight gingerly lowered his arm. "—that is, after I've taken a day to heal, according to Kao Lyn's recommendations."

Baku sighed. "Fine. Pansy."

Zero huffed. "Hmph. Simpleton."

Sensing the exchange had ended, Aleda turned to the Knight Gundam and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, milady," Zero said. "The wound was shallow, and your healing magic fixed the worst of the damage. Kao Lyn was impressed with your work."

The Gundamess blushed. "Thanks."

"Thank _you_, milady," Zero insisted. "It's a great favor since the scientists of Neotopia don't know how to effectively heal a Sola Diorama Gundam."

A proud smile crept into her eyes. "You're welcome."

"What should I do to repay you, Lady Aleda?" Zero asked.

"Uh..." Aleda looked away to hide her growing blush.

The Knight Gundam snapped his fingers, and another purple rose appeared. "I could begin with this," he volunteered. "What else should I give you, milady?"

"I don't need anything," Aleda said. She accepted the rose and held it to her face, just barely under her eyescreens, as if to hide herself. "I just wanted to help. I'd like to still make lunch..." _Where did that come from? _she immediately scolded herself.

"Oh, that's right!" Baku exclaimed. "All the groceries are gone, now, aren't they? That means we don't get any good food."

"Don't cry in front of the lady, Bakunetsumaru," Zero said with a mock consoling tone as he reached over and pat the Musha on the shoulder.

"Who said I was—!"

"—We must wait for the lady's scrumptious meals another day, but I know of another source of delicious meals—pastries in particular!"

"Ah, you mean...!" Baku started bouncing with delight.

"Princess Sayla's cakes!" Zero declared.

"Cake for lunch?" Aleda said uncertainly.

"Yes! For lunch!" both male Gundams said to her excitedly.

"O...kay..." Then, "Don't you have to report to someone first?"

"I already did," Baku said.

"After I report to Juli, we can go," Zero said, still grinning at the prospect of sugary food. "Onward! To lunch!"

...

"Damages to her body were minor," Chief Haro read from a tablet screen. "Hmm." He leaned back in his plush roller chair, putting a hand to his mask's "chin" to ponder the next piece of information in the report: _"Zero reported that she treated his wounds before Kao Lyn's check by using Lacroan magic. Kao Lyn also reported that the wounds appeared to have begun healing before Kao Lyn began treatment." _"That could be a very critical tool for Zero and Bakunetsumaru," Haro muttered. He eyed the phone, contemplating.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Again, sorry for the long wait. I fiddle with things, and life can get busy, too. I hope it was worth your wait :) I hope there were a few laughs.

Let me know if Zero is still in-character. You'd think he'd be an easy one to do, being the chivalrous-with-a-dose-of-snob stereotype, but his background and poor circumstances tempt me to emphasize his tragic side. Let's be real here: out of the entire team, Zero got the worst deal in the end. **_*Spoiler Alert* (Just in case people haven't watched all of this decade-old series, yet.)_** His friends are all dead, and one of them Zero had to kill because he was a traitor, so Zero's definitely the only Knight Gundam left alive. Apparently, there are more that come after the Spirit Tree is revived, but I imagine they'd be very young and inexperienced. That's gotta suck not having peers your own age. Not to mention the emotional turmoil from a close friend's betrayal. That makes trust issues, man! **_*End Spoiler Alert*_** Not to mention that during the series, he's got hints of survivor's guilt because his friends and his royal charge sacrificed themselves to send him to safety. I'm surprised a guy carrying that around alone for 2 years could stay sane. So, yeah, I tend to want to use that dark backstory, because it makes things interesting and adds a bit more depth to Zero's character—if nothing else, it shows freakish resilience. Just let me know if his survivor's guilt/pressure/PTSD/brooding gets out-of-character.

If I didn't communicate it well enough, Aleda has a history with at least those two SDG members that she isn't yet aware of. Let me know if that was confusing. I want to make it mysterious, not confusing XD

Btw, in case this hasn't been inferred by now, I base the dialogue on SDGF's English dub version, not the Japanese. I generally prefer subs, myself, but this one I watched completely in dub before seeing it in Japanese, so when I think of the voices, that's what I think of. Plus, that gives me something solid to work with instead of deciding how to judge the various sub translations. This comes with the side effect of stereotyped voices. I have no idea if Bell Wood uses slang in the Japanese version (I don't have the ear and know-how for that), but he does in the English dub, so that's what I went with. I'm not intending at all to offend African-Americans or people of African/colored descent, I'm just trying to keep him in-character as the genius kid who's so smart that no one cares if he doesn't use Oxford language. But, if his lingo offends you, let me know, and I'll try my best to alter it.

Next chapter, we'll see if Chief Haro decides to contact Aleda's foster family, what the Gundam Force has for lunch, and some more bonding time for Zero and Aleda. I'm guessing that the next one will take a bit longer to put out because 1. I'm starting a summer semester next week 2. I'll have to write a few more new scenes before the story can reconnect with the pieces I've already written.

I want to say, I've been really excited writing all this, because I'd thought originally that I was just going to edit things I already wrote. Turns out that this revisit is getting more in-depth, and the characters are already showing new sides of themselves to me. I love it when that happens! I hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am!

Again, please give a review. Guest or logged-in, whichever. It can be just 3 words, if you're in a rush.

-Penelopi


	5. Legends and Ladies

**Author's Notes**

So, this one actually took a lot less time than I expected, because it didn't take much for me to link it in with something I'd already written. I added many new things, too, though, so this ended up being a longer chapter. I hope you enjoy the lore I made up—and that I didn't mess it up. XD It's been a long time since I've seen the show. I re-watched a few Lacroa-centric episodes recently to make sure there weren't glaring contradictions, but I may have missed something.

Actually, on a side-note, I may have messed some things up in the previous chapters. Is it "Vatra" Sword or "Vatras" Sword? You'd think I'd know, but all along I heard "Vatra" Sword in the dub until reading the Gundam Wiki, and now I don't know which it is! If someone could clarify for me, please do!

**Disclaimer:** All of the characters and settings in this chapter belong to Bandai and Sunrise, except for Aleda. I'm not making any monetary profit on this fic. I'm not selling it at all.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Legends and Ladies**

It turned out that lunch came from Keiko's pork buns and not Sayla's cakes, because the hard-working mother was home early, and Sayla was unavailable. Zero and Baku were marginally disappointed.

"A terrorist attack on a grocery store, of all things," Keiko sighed as she set a plate of pork buns in the midst of her ravenous guests. "And right after the suburbs were burned. Everyone was so frightened, that school ended early."

"Sayla's mom picked her up before early release," Shute said.

"I'm not surprised," said Keiko. "It's dangerous. I'm shocked that you came to visit with all the ruckus."

"We're very strong and capable, Miss Keiko," Zero said. "We're not afraid of any thugs."

"So you say," Keiko replied with a worried look.

The five friends sat on Shute's porch around a circular table: clockwise, Captain, Shute, Aleda, Zero, and Bakunetsumaru. Fenn purred in Aleda's hands. Baku shoveled a handful of pork buns into his mouth. Zero handed a couple of buns to Aleda before taking some himself. Shute snatched what pork buns he could before Baku could eat them all. A few times, he was too slow and growled as his hand hit the quick metal fingers.

Fenn sniffed a pork bun that Aleda was eating with one hand, and his tummy rumbled loudly. "Oh, cute!" Aleda gushed. "Zero, I think he wants some."

"I expected as much. Here is one for you, Fenn," Zero said, holding out a pork bun. "Leave Lady Aleda so that she may eat."

Fenn stared at the tempting treat as if deliberating whether it was worth leaving his cozy spot. "Fenn, please," Zero insisted. "You are bothering the lady." Fenn looked up at Aleda with wide eyes.

"No, he's not bothering me," Aleda quickly said.

"Well, Fenn, the lady has her hands full and cannot feed you, so you must come to your food." Zero set the pork bun on the table in front of the fluffy Spirit. Fenn finally rose, yawning, and ruffled his fluff before slinking to the table and taking a bite of pork bun. "Good boy," Zero said. Aleda watched the fluffball eat while she herself munched on her food and smiled at the cuteness.

"What is your name, again? Aleda?" Keiko asked the Gundamess.

Aleda nodded. "Yeah."

"Would you like some water?"

"Sure." She beamed.

Keiko smiled, then asked the group, "Would anyone else like water, too?"

"I would! Thanks."

"Yes, please, Miss Keiko."

"Sure. Thanks, Mom."

"No, thank you, Miss Keiko. I am not thirsty."

"Okay. I'll be right back." Keiko opened a sliding door and entered the kitchen.

"I wuf desh!" Baku said in between bites.

"Show some manners, Baku," Zero sighed.

"Hearing you guys talk about Sayla's cakes kinda made me want to have some," Shute said. "But, this is the next best thing."

"Nutritionally, this is the preferred meal," Captain said.

"I guess."

"Who's Sayla?" Aleda asked.

"She's my classmate," Shute said.

"Princess Sayla is a pure-hearted and skilled cake baker," Zero said. "Her creations are as beautiful as they are delicious!"

"Oh. I hope I get to try one, some time."

After they had had their fill of pork buns and chatter, the Gundam Force, minus Zero, stayed at Shute's house to wait for Gunbike so that they could start another tough training session. Zero, forbidden to participate until that day's injuries had been given time to heal, made to return to White Base. "I guess I'll go, too," Aleda said to her grounded companions.

"Ah, okay," Shute said. He, Captain, and Baku waved at her. "See you later!"

"See you!" Aleda waved back with her brace-encased elbow as she drifted to the politely waiting Knight Gundam.

"Are you ready, milady?" Zero asked.

Aleda nodded. "Mhm."

Fenn joined them in flight towards White Base. After a few moments of quiet, Zero asked, "How are your injuries?"

"You can't really call them injuries," Aleda said. She gently extended her arm. "I'm a bit sore, but that's it."

"I am sorry to have exposed you to danger, my lady," Zero said shamefully.

"You didn't do that," she protested. "I wasn't listening when you said not to go near Preston. I did it to myself." _Though I don't regret it. _

"You were defending me," Zero said, the wall of his confident blue eyes momentarily leaking guilt. "Were you not?"

Aleda blushed. "It was instinct."

"I am grateful for your courage and loyalty. Thank you."

"Y-You're welcome."

"But, Lady Aleda, please do not endanger yourself, again," Zero said, firmly but kindly. "You could have died."

Aleda nodded meekly. "I'll be careful."

They arrived at White Base and flew down the main hallway. Aleda cradled a purring Spirit.

"What will you do, milady?" Zero asked.

"I'll find something to do," Aleda assured him. "I have a few things I carry around in case I get bored."

"So, you are not particularly occupied?"

"Um, no." Aleda slowed so that they could speak properly, and Zero followed suit. Fenn opened his eyes.

Facing her, the Winged Knight asked, "Would you like me to tell you more about Lacroa?"

Aleda's wings perked slightly. "Y-Yeah," she said. "Sure."

"Then, milady, let us go to a comfortable place." Zero smiled.

Aleda nodded. Behind her mouthguard, her grin was so wide it felt to her as if her cheeks would snap.

Fenn, stirred by the excitement emanating from her, slipped out of Aleda's hands and floated between the two Lacroan Gundams. "This way." Zero led them down a side passage.

...

"Thanks, Kao Lyn," Guneagle said as he flexed his mechanical wings.

"You're very welcome!"

The door to Kao Lyn's lab hissed open. A particular green-faced person entered. "Chief Haro, sir!" Guneagle immediately straightened and saluted.

"At ease. Kao Lyn, may I speak to you in private?"

"Guneagle, run some tests in the flight simulation chamber," Kao Lyn ordered. "I'll be there ASAP."

Guneagle nodded and, with an inquisitive look at Chief Haro, walked out of the room. The door slid shut.

"It's about the Gundamess," Haro began.

"What did you decide?"

"Our external surveillance has observed that she's lived independently for over a year. She demonstrates advanced maturity for her age, and, as we saw today, she can handle herself well in emergency situations. Given that and the rare opportunities her presence presents us—including another source of repairs for Zero and Bakunetsumaru—I've decided to allow her to stay indefinitely."

Kao Lyn danced. "Woohoo! I'm glad you decided that! Now, I get the chance to observe her more closely! This could help me advance the social and physical functions of our Gundams." He paused in his jig. "What are you going to tell her parents?"

"Nothing, for now. They gave her permission to leave home. If she is mature enough to live on her own, Aleda can decide for herself whether to inform her foster family of her current living arrangement."

"Hmm~! I'll let you do that. We'll keep her safe, after all." Kao Lyn punched his fists in the air. "I'm so excited for the upgrades I'll make!"

"What are you thinking of?" Chief Haro asked curiously.

"Emotional expression, for one! Guneagle has the most advanced emotions of any of my works so far, but with Aleda here, I can possibly even add romantic expression. And with enough time I could finally figure out how to make females—!"

"Wait," Haro said, holding out a hand as if to reel in the spastic scientist, "you said, 'romantic expression'? How are you planning to use Aleda for that?"

Kao Lyn stopped his wild movements and looked at Haro. "Why, I don't plan to do anything except watch! She's already been giving me excellent data!"

"Explain."

"Look at the footage." Kao Lyn bounced to a computer, clacked away at the keyboard, and soon had the screen display an image of a certain red-caped Gundam and a winged Gundamess.

_"So, you are not particularly occupied?"_

_ "Um, no." _

The two figures in the hall slowed down and faced each other. _"Would you like me to tell you more about Lacroa?" _

_ "Y-Yeah, sure."_

Kao Lyn jabbed a button, and the scene paused. "There! Look at that!" Haro leaned in closer to see. "Look at her face!" Aleda's shy face seeped with joy and bore a slight rosy tinge on her mouthguard. "And look at her posture! Here, it's better when you see her moving!" Rewinding it a bit, both men could clearly see how her wings lifted ever so slightly at the Winged Knight's offer, and how she sent sidelong glances at him as they floated along.

"Does she react this way to the other Gundams?" Chief Haro asked.

"Nope! Nada! She acts shy, but not flustered. This behavior is only for our charming knight! If this isn't a crush, I don't know what it is!"

Chief Haro groaned as Kao Lyn spun around again.

"The expression! I can't wait to replicate it!" Kao Lyn shouted.

"Maybe she's too much trouble, after all."

Kao Lyn eyed him. "You wouldn't dare."

Seeing the fire behind those kooky glasses, the Chief sighed in defeat. "Fine. At least they can't multiply."

"Actually…"

The Haro eyes flashed yellow, and the ears flapped in shock. "What?!"

...

The two Lacroans and Fenn strolled towards the recreational area of the base as Zero began to describe the daily schedule at the Miya Royal Castle. They arrived in a large room with a table, a pool table, some chairs, an air hockey table, Foosball, darts, a few couches, and a huge T.V. screen with a large selection of DVDs and video games stored in a long dresser beneath it.

Zero pulled out a chair from the sitting table for Aleda. "Here you go, milady."

"Thanks, but why don't we sit on the couch?" she asked. "It's more comfortable."

Zero nodded. "Very true, milady." He sat on a green couch beside her, although he left a polite distance between them, which Fenn gladly occupied. Once they had comfortably settled, he said, "What else would you like to hear?"

"How about some mythology or legend? Like Fenn. You said he's supposed to be able to save Lacroa, right?" Aleda stroked the top of Fenn's fuzzy head with one finger, and the Spirit watched her curiously.

"Yes, he is a Spirit that has significant power—at least, that is what I've been led to believe."

Fenn pouted.

"You… don't know what he is?"

Zero dodged her glance. "Er, well, he is a Spirit of Lacroa that can breathe fire and will surely grow into one of the strongest Spirits in existence."

Fenn chirruped happily again after having his ego stroked.

Aleda giggled. "Okay. What are the other Spirits?"

"Griffin, Phoenix, Unicorn, and Jormungandr form the quartet that defends Lacroa, the Sacred Beasts. Feather Dragon and Steel Dragon rank just above that quartet. All of them hold incredible power, but the Feather Dragon is known to rescue Lacroa in its darkest hour. It may yet appear to aid us."

Aleda tilted her head. "Can you tell me one of the stories?"

Zero nodded. "Certainly, milady. I'll tell you about the last time Feather Dragon appeared." He gathered his breath. Aleda shifted on the couch and drew her feet up to get cozy.

The knight began: "The last time he saved Lacroa was a thousand years ago. Another royal family was in power then: the Karlans. The King and Queen were heirless and, try as they might, they could not have a child because any that was birthed died within the week, sometimes before it was even out of the womb.

"It seemed hopeless. But one day, when the Queen was again pregnant with child, a poor witch came to the castle. She said to the King, 'Give me food to eat, and I'll use my powers to make your child live.' The King accepted these terms, and so the witch was housed under the royal roof, fed by the royal chiefs, and even clothed with the royal family's hand-me-downs. The witch in turn sat by the Queen every day and chanted her spells, until the day that the child was born. A girl, Princess Lila, emerged from the Queen's womb. When she lived beyond the first week, everyone in the castle became hopeful. After a month, they were fairly certain the princess would make it into adulthood, and once she turned five, her family was overjoyed. It seemed that the Karlans' heirless days were over.

"However, the witch was unsatisfied. She always asked for more food, and her appetite was enormous. She ate enough to feed twelve villages in one day and was still hungry. Some said that she fed all of the food to her pet demons. But, whatever the food was used for, it was too taxing on the kingdom; the peasants were going hungry. The King finally refused to increase the food given to the witch any more, and after Princess Lila's fifth birthday the witch left the castle in a huff. People worried that the curse on the Queen's children would return and kill the princess now that the witch was gone, or that the witch herself would cast a curse on the royal family.

"But neither happened. Years went by, and the princess grew into a fair young lady who was old enough to be married. She was engaged to a prince from a distant kingdom, and Lacroa waited in eager anticipation for the wedding. That was when the invaders came."

Aleda leaned forward, drawn by the dramatic rise and fall of the knight's voice, like a child drawn out by the bob of sea waves on a beach shore.

"Storming in from the north, where the dark mountains rose forbiddingly on the edge of Lacroa, the barbaric invaders slaughtered the men, women, and children of defenseless villages and towns on their way to the royal castle. Knights came from every corner of the kingdom to fend off the villains, but they were defeated because of strong magic. The witch who aided Princess Lila's birth had betrayed Lacroa to the barbarians in revenge for refusing to feed her insatiable gluttony. Her spells made the invaders nearly invincible! They were impervious to the sword, and they healed quickly if they were wounded by fire and stone. The invaders surrounded the royal castle, and all seemed lost, but then the Feather Dragon appeared.

"It was shining white, and its wings were feathered like an angel's. The light it gave off was so great, that the dark night shone like day! The Feather Dragon chose a pure-hearted Knight Gundam in the royal castle to lend its powers to, and that knight was transformed into an otherworldly warrior bearing the Spirit's feathered wings and a sword sharp as the Feather Dragon's claws. This powerful sword cut through the invaders with ease, and the noble knight drove his terrified enemies out of the kingdom, back to the mountains from which they came.

"Some said during the Dark Axis invasion that the mountain-dwellers had finally returned for revenge. It is clear to me now that Dark Axis didn't come from those mountains, but their helpers, including Tallgeese, could have."

Her eyes were rapt with interest. "Where did the Feather Dragon go after that? Does the legend say?"

"After driving the invaders away, the Feather Dragon departed for parts unknown, taking its lent powers with it."

"So the knight didn't have those powers anymore?"

"No, but he had no need for them after that. Lacroa continued to be at peace until long after he died."

"What happened to him after the Feather Dragon?"

"Er…Didn't I just answer that? He died."

"That's not what I meant," Aleda said with a roll of her eyes. "How did he live the rest of his life? Did he marry the princess?"

"Huh?" Zero was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed.

Aleda was confounded. "What did I say?" she asked.

Zero regained his composure. "Forgive me, milady. I don't mean to belittle you. It's only that you said something unusual in Lacroan society. A mere knight would never marry a princess, much less a Gundam marry a human, and I find the idea rather strange."

"So he didn't marry the princess?" Aleda's wings drooped in disappointment.

"No, milady, Princess Lila married her fiancé, the prince. In Lacroa, no one marries a princess but a king, a prince, or at the very least a lord. But the knight was never the worse for it. He found true love from someone else."

"Is there a story for that, too?" Aleda asked eagerly.

Zero the Winged Knight grinned and said, "Yes. I'll tell you.

"On a spring morning, years after his adventure with the Feather Dragon, he spotted a beautiful Gundamess lost in the enchanted woods, and he took her back to the royal castle, where she became a maid and a companion for the princess. This Gundamess was said to be very innocent, compassionate, and forgiving, so much so that she forgave an assassin after he wounded her during a failed attempt to take the princess's life. Don't worry, milady—" he said, seeing the look of horror on Aleda's face, "—the lovely Gundamess survived and healed, and Princess Lila was unharmed. The Gundamess begged for the assassin's life, for he had a family to feed, and her pleas were so moving that they sent him into exile rather than execute him. The heroic knight fell in love with her kind personality, and she with his devotion, and they were married. No one knows where the Gundamess came from, nor where she went after her husband died of old age. Some say she was a Spirit in disguise."

Aleda grinned in delight. "Can Spirits disguise themselves?" she asked.

"Yes," Zero said. "Any being of Lacroa can, with strong enough magic."

"Um, speaking of magic," Aleda said tentatively, "I think I would really like to try learning it, like you said. Could you teach me?"

Zero's eyes brightened at her words. "It would be my delight," he said. "I'm afraid that I tired myself too much for us to start today, but tomorrow I can teach you. Is that acceptable?"

"That sounds good."

"Would you like to hear more about Lacroa, milady?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

The Winged Knight told her about the fine clothes the royalty and nobility wore, the festivals that they celebrated, and the rituals surrounding Mana.

"What is Mana?"

"Mana gives you your magic, milady. Those who are connected with Mana are gifted with this power. But, those who commit themselves to evil, forbidden deeds lose this connection and no longer have this gift."

"They don't have magic, anymore?"

"They can use magic, still, through the Mana of Darkness, a separate entity that desires that evil consume the world."

"Oh. Like a pact with the devil?"

"I suppose you could say that."

"How do I have a connection with Mana? I've had magic since I was a baby, and I never connected myself to anything like that."

"Parents make pacts with Mana for their children as soon as possible so that they can enjoy the benefits of magic," Zero said. "Your parents must have done so before you were whisked away here."

Aleda blinked. "I have parents?"

"I don't understand your question, milady."

"I—We have…biological…parents?" Aleda piqued a digital eyebrow curiously.

Zero nodded. "Yes, we do. All Gundams from Lacroa are born from two parents, a male and a female, and a GunSoul."

The Lacroan Gundamess inspected her armored arms with a new eye. "I guess that makes sense, since my body grew…" She looked at Zero with amazement. "I have parents," she said again in disbelief.

"Yes, milady," Zero said with a smile. "You have someone to search for when we restore Lacroa."

"Wait, my GunSoul, is it…?" Aleda touched the green, round gem in her chest gingerly.

"Yes, that is it. It is your most vulnerable point, where your consciousness connects to your body. It also carries energy through our bodies, like a human heart."

Aleda nodded in response to Zero's words. Her adoptive father had been able to discern the latter function, at least.

"We Gundams are naturally stronger than most other robots," Zero continued. "But, the exposed GunSoul is our most obvious weakness. In the battles that may come, be sure to guard it closely, because Dark Axis soldiers commonly exploit this."

She self-consciously pressed her hand to her gem and bobbed her head in affirmation.

Zero put a hand to his red chin. "What else could I tell you?" he pondered.

"Um… what is it like having a robot family?" Aleda asked.

The knight said neutrally, "I would not know, milady, as my birth parents both died when I was very young, and I was raised by a human couple in the country."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Aleda said, her eyes darting to her lap. Her shoulders hunched in shame.

"No worries, Lady Aleda. I do not remember my birth parents, so their loss is not a great pain to me." He smiled softly. "Our stories are actually very similar."

"I guess so," Aleda mused. Her shoulders relaxed.

Fenn snuggled closer to his daddy Zero, chirruping consolingly. "My human parents were both skilled mages. They taught me the most important things I've ever learned," Zero said. "I'm grateful to have been raised by them." Aleda nodded in understanding. "Is there anything else you can think of that you would like to know, milady?" Zero asked.

"Um…"

The double-doors to the lounge parted, and Baku peeked in. "Aha! I heard you two were in here!"

Zero groaned. "What do you want?"

Baku sauntered in. "Having fun, are we?"

"We were until you came along."

"Oh, were you?" Baku sneered. "Well, Captain and I are back from our training, and it's time for you to go on patrol, Zero."

The Knight Gundam glanced at the analog clock on the wall. "Yes, I suppose so." He gently nudged Fenn off of his side and rose into the air. "I'll patrol, then, while you laze around."

"Me, lazy? In Ark, I fought 32 hours straight in order to hold a key position from Kibaomaru's men!"

"I'd have never known, since most of your activity here has been eating and sleeping," Zero said snidely.

"That is not true!" Baku objected, stomping his feet.

"Fenn, stay with Lady Aleda while I'm away," Zero said with pat on Fenn's head.

"Are you ignoring me?!"

"Sure, sure. Let's go, sissy samurai." Zero started floating to the door.

"Hey, I don't have to go anywhere! I'm done with my shift! And I'm not the sissy one!"

The door closed.

"That egotistical jerk!" Baku fumed.

Aleda chuckled, a tad nervously, and hugged Fenn to her chest.

Baku sighed. "Well, I'll get him back later." He glanced at Aleda. "I would ask what you were talking about, but I only make fun of Zero."

The samurai's calmer, casual tone relaxed her. Aleda giggled at his remark and said, "We were just talking about Lacroa and Gundams. There's a lot I don't know."

"I'd say so. What did he tell you?"

"Um… that Gundams in Lacroa are born, not made. They have families."

"Yep. That's the way it is in Ark, too."

Aleda peered at Baku over Fenn's fuzzy head. "What kind of family do you have?"

"A great one! I've got four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, and an honorable mother and father," Baku bragged. "And as the oldest son, I'm the pride of the family: Bakunetsumaru, the Blazing Samurai, one of the strongest warriors in all of Ark!"

"Is Ark very different from Lacroa?"

"Of course! Ark has stronger Gundams, and it doesn't have weird things like magic and Spirits!" Baku waved a hand dismissively. "We don't deal with that stuff."

Aleda could feel the rumble of Fenn's purr on her chin. "What kind of things happen in Ark?"

"Glorious battles, huge feasts, and great festivals!"

The Gundamess smiled and braced herself for another wave of enthusiastic story-telling. "Tell me more."

"So, one time, Lord Buritenmaru challenged an opposing general to a duel…"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hope you enjoyed that legend and lore I made up, and Zero's little backstory. By the way, if I made something in the lore that clashes with what the show said, please point it out to me. There was so many little world-building moments that I don't remember all of them. I was surprised to rediscover recently that the natural healing due to nanobots was actually something that SDGF explicitly said Musha Gundams could do. It's been a very long time.

Zero's family I originally did differently, because I was under the impression from the show that, with the Spirit Tree, Knight Gundams didn't always need "biological" parents, if at all. (Though maybe they don't… weren't all the Gundams in Lacroa wiped out? Surely they didn't expect Zero to repopulate them all?) Zero's surprise at the revelation that Musha Gundams can have kids also supports a view that Knight Gundams don't. But, the ability of Deed to fall in love suggests that Knight Gundams can procreate. So, I tried to make a happy medium between the two. I had it so that all Lacroan Gundams came from Spirit Eggs, but some would find their way into a Gundamess first and receive the traits of the parent Gundams while others would just turn into Gundams once they found a worthy caretaker. I also concluded that Zero was surprised because he simply didn't think that the Musha Gundams would share the reproductive trait with Knight Gundams. And then I read on Gundam Wiki that the Spirit Tree is also a feature of the older SD Gundam cartoon series that took place in Lacroa, and its thing was that "all things born" in Lacroa got their spirits from the Spirit Tree. So, that would mean the humans, animals, etc., too? The Wiki says humans, Gundams, and Spirits definitely got their spirits from the Spirit Eggs. So, because we know that humans reproduce even in Lacroa (Rele has a mom and dad), the Spirit Tree was probably only supposed to generate souls and not bodies. As you can see, now I'm confused, and instead of having Zero be a non-procreated Gundam that was raised by humans as I originally planned, I've decided to change it so that his progenitors died. Though I'm still confused, it's honestly easier if everyone in Lacroa is born the same way: procreation for the body, Spirit Tree for the soul. And, it gives something else for Zero and Aleda to have in common (the human adoptive families, not the dead biological parents. I'm not that mean . Or am I? You'll have to wait to find out :) ).

Well, Zero's info is a lot for Aleda to digest. We'll probably get more of her thoughts on everything, soon. And we'll continue to see Chief Haro's thoughts on it as time goes on. XD

Be sure to review :) Tell me if the chapters are too long.

-Penelopi


	6. Chivalrous Excuses

**Author's Notes**

Thanks, Titanic X, for the review and for letting me know that it is, indeed, "Vatras" Sword. (' Wow, that's embarrassing.) I'll edit prior chapters to fix this.

Speaking of canon errors, I realized by rewatching I think episode 14 or 15 that Fenn doesn't need to eat. That would explain why I didn't show him eating in the original-I was thinking to myself as I went through all the scenes with food, "Wow, I totally forgot about Fenn. He has to eat, too, right?"-and my forgetful self went and added more details in that, while cute, aren't in line with the canon. I'll have to edit those out, too. I also remembered how limited Zero's flight was supposed to be in the first several episodes, most notably in episode 15 when Guneagle shows up. I've been having him and Aleda just zip back and forth from the base to solid ground XD But, I don't feel very bad about that, because in episode 18, Zero has absolutely no trouble flying super high, and in the Minov Sea Boundary of season 2 he and other Lacroan robots fly around with no problems over a space of nothingness-so, there! Ha!

It's a good thing I decided to rewatch bits of the first season to refresh my memory, though. I didn't watch the first season over as much as the second season back in the day, because the second was SO much better in terms of pacing, battle choreography, and character development. I forgot about several critical world-building details given in the first season. I probably need to watch the whole series over again just to be safe (which I don't mind) XD

So, this chapter has mostly relationship-building stuff between the characters, and I'm not talking about just the main romance. These scenes are setup, and I searched for things to eliminate, but I couldn't decide on any of them. Let me know if you think there are some things I could trim. I hope you find this chapter cute, funny, and vivid. :)

**Disclaimer: **SD Gundam Force belongs to Bandai and Sunrise. This fanfiction is based on their world and their characters. Aleda and her foster family are my original characters. The rest of the characters and the setting belong to Bandai and Sunrise.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Chivalrous Excuses**

Fenn had fallen asleep in Aleda's lap by the time Baku finished all of his stories. The last one was about how Baku and Entengo had chased down a would-be assassin. "...And I cut him down in one stroke!" Baku swung his imaginary sword dramatically.

Aleda squirmed in her seat. "It sounds like there's a lot of fighting in Ark."

"Well, yeah, the warlords want to take over as much land as possible. Most of them are greedy and corrupt, but Lord Buritenmaru is strong, honorable, and just," Baku said. "When he asked me to join him, I seized the chance, because I wanted to help that great leader bring peace to my home world."

The door to the lounge opened, and a faint bubbly sound announced the entrance of a Lacroan Gundam. "Are you making the lady listen to your blabber?" Zero said.

"She asked."

"I doubt she wanted to hear you talk to yourself for two hours." As Zero spoke, Fenn stirred awake to the sound of his voice.

"She was listening! She liked my stories," Baku gloated.

Aleda nodded. "They were interesting." She glanced down at the Lacroan Spirit. "Hi, Fenn, are you awake?" she said, grinning and petting him.

Fenn gurgled happily, but then he wiggled free, stretched, and floated to Zero. "I missed you, too, Fenn," Zero said happily, welcoming his fluffball into his hands.

"While you're cuddling your pet, I'm going to go train," Baku declared provocatively.

Zero growled, "Fenn is an important part of our fight against the Dark Axis! Tending to him is a suitable preparation for our upcoming battles."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Aleda yawned behind her mouthguard as the males began their usual squabble.

"Uncivilized, provocative simpleton! I'll show you tomorrow that I am not the one who needs the most training!"

"And I'll show you who's the simpleton!" Baku shot back. "See you later, Flower Knight!"

"It's 'Winged Knight'!"

The door slid shut, leaving Zero with Aleda and Fenn. "I apologize, milady, for that samurai's rudeness. He is not as courteous as I."

The Gundamess chuckled, "It's okay. You both were fine." She rubbed her eyescreens with one hand.

"Ah. Well, then… My lady, I am to rest for the remainder of the day," Zero began. "Would you like me to tell you more of Lacroa? Or perhaps to enjoy a game?" He gestured to the foosball, air hockey, and pool tables.

She looked up at him blearily. "Um, I'd like to, but… I might need to rest, myself. I'm suddenly feeling really tired."

Zero frowned in concern. "Suddenly, milady?" When the Gundamess nodded, her eyescreens displaying half-closed lids, Zero came closer and reached out a hand. "May I feel your forehead?" he asked. Another nod. Zero gently touched her helm, and his frown deepened. "You seem to have over-exerted your magic abilities during the battle this morning. You should indeed take a rest."

"Okay. I'll go to my room and sleep for a while." Aleda started to drift past him.

"Would you like me to escort you, my lady?"

"No, that's okay. I'm fine." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm not about to collapse or anything." _I think. _

"Alright, then. Take care of yourself, my lady."

"Thanks. You, too," and with a sweet smile, Aleda turned and departed.

...

She did make it to her room before collapsing on the bed. For the rest of the day, Aleda slept, and Zero attempted to keep himself busy. He wanted to duel with Baku, but he preferred not to tear open his healing wound. Fenn grew bored of pets and snuggles and started to push around the foosball ball. Zero found a book on Neotopian history and started to read, but soon he felt a headache; he had to rely on magic to translate the writing, and the battle of that day had worn him, as well. With a sigh, he laid the book down on a table and leaned back on the couch. He started to doze.

"You look bored."

Zero jolted awake to see brown eyes sneering down at him. "Ah!" He shot upright. "Bakunetsumaru, don't scare me like that!"

"You should never sleep during a war," Baku said. "I always have one eye open at night."

"I'd believe you if I didn't hear your raucous snore every night." Zero stood.

"I don't snore!"

"Yes, you do," Zero said haughtily. He almost raised his fingers to snap a Princess rose onto Baku's helmet, but then he remembered his headache and settled for crossing his arms.

"It's so frustrating that I can't challenge you to a fight right now!" Baku fumed. He surveyed the lounge and jabbed a finger at the foosball table. "Aha!" Fenn paused his play and blinked cluelessly at the Musha Gundam. "Zero, I challenge you to a foosball duel! If you don't accept, then you're the biggest pansy I've ever known!"

"Challenge accepted!" Zero eagerly flew to the foosball table. "Fenn, I'm sorry, but you must move." He plucked up the Spirit and set him on a chair. Fenn grumbled in discontent, puffing irritable sparks from his mouth.

"Alright! Prepare to be defeated!" Baku cried, taking the opposite side.

"No, you should prepare to be crushed by my elegant skill!" Zero declared.

"Winner gets Sayla's next cake!"

"You'll eat nothing but dirt, Bakunetsumaru!"

"Frenn!" Fenn blew a long stream of fire.

...

The next morning, Aleda, having rested well and healed enough to remove her braces and patches, elected to shop for groceries again at a different store. "I'll go with you, milady," Zero offered when he heard her plans.

"Oh, it's fine. You don't have to," Aleda said. She couldn't help but avert her eyes. The charming knight was doing a number on her internal temperature.

"I would like to, though. Especially after yesterday, I worry that the Dark Axis may attack, again, or that you may have a weak spell from magic depletion," Zero pleaded.

"Well, okay, then." She offered him a shy smile. "You can come."

This trip was less eventful and more successful. They brought home all the materials for a hearty breakfast and a juicy dinner. "Mmmm!" Baku hummed in delight as he tasted honey-covered pancakes and just-ever-so-slightly-crispy bacon. "This tastes great, Aleda!"

He, Zero, Fenn, and Aleda were in the kitchen, sitting around the table. Captain, since he was unable to eat, was instead using his time to get a tune-up from Kao Lyn. "It doesn't take a lot to make a good breakfast," Aleda waved off the compliment.

"But, still. Thanks for making it." He took another chomp of bacon.

Zero forked a piece of hash browns into his mouth. "Yes, milady. Thank you for making us this delightful breakfast," he praised.

Aleda reddened from all the attention. "O-oh. Well, you helped me get everything."

"I only carried the food. You should accept the compliment."

"Thank you." Though her eyes were glued to her pancakes, she grinned.

After they finished eating, Aleda set to cleaning the kitchen; dishes needed to be washed. Baku stretched. "Aaaaaah," he sighed. "That was good! I'm ready to take on today's training regiment, now. I'm sure Gunbike has something tough for us."

"Ah, we do have training, now, don't we?" Zero said, a little disappointed. He turned to Aleda. "I'm sorry, Lady Aleda. I would have offered to help clean, but I must join this session."

"It's okay."

A purple rose popped into the Knight Gundam's hand. "Please accept this as a token of my appreciation for that scrumptious breakfast. I hope I can give you better thanks another time."

"This is fine," Aleda said as she accepted the rose. She could feel her face heating, again, and she struggled to maintain an even voice. "Thank yous—er, thank you," she stammered. _Why did I slip into a Northeastern accent, all of a sudden? I don't even have that accent! _she bemoaned.

"The pleasure is all mine, milady." Zero bowed, then flashed a smile that could melt the arctic. "I shall see you later."

"See you."

"And, er, milady? If you would like, feel free to join us in the training room after you're finished. I know that the lounge is… under repairs…" He looked away guiltily.

Aleda laughed and nodded. "Sure. Don't worry about it."

The Knight Gundam, relieved, eased into a smile. "Then, until later, my lady."

"'Bye, Zero."

Zero turned and, to his surprise, saw no red Musha Gundam behind him. He entered the hallway and found Baku waiting there with a sly smile. "Are you done, lover-boy?"

The Knight Gundam flushed red; whether with anger or embarrassment, Baku could not tell. "Chivalrous behavior does not entail romance!" he protested.

"Save it for the judge! Let's go before Gunbike gives us 200 extra pushups."

Zero huffed and followed Baku, but a couple of roses sprouted from the Musha Gundam's back.

...

Once Aleda finished the dishes, half-an-hour had passed, and she thought of joining her companions. Before then, though, she had to add the latest Princess rose to her collection. She took it to her room and found a glass on her dresser with three purple roses. "There," Aleda said, slipping the new rose into the water. "I'll have to get a real vase for them when I can."

A beeping sound inside her audio sensor caught her attention. She pressed a button implanted just behind her helmet's right triangular, wing-ish shaped decal. "Yes?"

"_Aleda, this is Mom. Are you okay?" _came a feminine voice.

"Uh, yeah, Mom. Why?"

"_We heard the news about dangerous things happening in Neotopia, recently, and we were worried." _

"Oh, I'm fine. I wasn't very close to those attacks," Aleda fibbed.

"_Thank goodness! Some people got hurt." _

Aleda nodded sympathetically even though no one could see her. Her wings drooped at the news. The SDG hadn't told her about any casualties.

"_How are you doing? We haven't heard from you in a while." _

"I'm doing fine. I made some friends," Aleda said, breaking into a smile.

"_Really? That's great! Have you found out anything new?" _

"Uh…um, no."

"…_Are you sure?" _

Aleda sighed. Her mother could always tell. "Well, I might have found a matching symbol to my pendant."

"_Really?! Where?!" _

"I…" She wracked her processor for anything to say that wouldn't give away the SDG. "…found it in a picture. In the library. Mom. Are you sure you and Dad never saw anyone else like me?" The SDG had existed for almost ten years, according to Bell Wood. Surely something had to have slipped.

"_No. Nothing at all. We searched as hard as we could—we even brought in robotics experts—but there was nothing."_

"Those people who did scans of me when I was five?"

"_Huh?" _

"The experts were the people I remember who scanned me when I was five years old, right?"

"_Yeah, that was them. I forget their names." _

"I guess it doesn't matter," Aleda said. "They didn't figure anything out."

"_No, they didn't." _

A thoughtful pause entered between the two. Then, Aleda asked, "How is everyone at home?"

"_We're doing well. The twins are doing well in school, Dominic is making ends meet just fine, and Abby's getting good grades on her assignments. Ember finished up her science fair project—"_

"Oh, how'd that go?"

"_She did well. Her project was chosen for regionals, like her big brother and sister. The teachers said they weren't surprised another Vaughn was picked. And Felix recently got a girlfriend." _

"Really?" Aleda laughed.

"_Really." _

"I didn't think he ever would."

"_I have a feeling his friends gave him the extra push he needed to ask her out." _Her mother chuckled, too.

Aleda and her adoptive mother continued to talk about the Vaughn family for another forty minutes.

"—_and the funding came in for your Dad's next project." _

"That's great!" Aleda smiled.

"_Aleda, dear, I've been thinking…" _

Aleda's smile loosened.

"_Why don't you bring home that picture, and we can all figure this out, together? Your father's next project has a good chance of successfully sending probes through portals. If we search through them, we might find your original world." _

Aleda sighed. _Here it is, again. _"I'm sorry, Mom. I think I have a better chance out here. We don't know how many dimensions there are, and it could take years more to search through them all, so…"

"_Unless the picture gave you a big clue, I don't think you'll have better luck there," _Mrs. Vaughn said gently.

"It did! It, um, had a caption saying that this other pendant was found around here, so I'm going to track it down."

A sigh came from the other end of the phone. _"Alright, sweetie. Just stay safe, okay? And remember, you can ask for our help whenever you need." _

"I know, Mom." Then, softly, "Thanks."

"_You're welcome. I'll let you go so I can meet your Dad for lunch." _

"Alright."

"_I'll tell him you're doing well."_

"Thanks. Tell him I love him."

"_Sure. I love you." _

"I love you, too, Mom. 'Bye."

"'_Bye, Little Wing." _

The connection closed with a click. Aleda groaned and plopped herself on her bed. _I feel so bad lying to them, _she inwardly agonized. She turned her head and saw the digital clock on the wall. "11:46." Her eyes widened. "Oh, no! I was going to go meet them!" The Lacroan Gundamess bounced into the air and shot past the sliding doors into the hallway.

...

Zero had set himself on the way to Kao Lyn's work shop. Kao Lyn's schedule was as erratic as his own movements, so when Zero had been summoned by intercom for a checkup on his patched side, he'd had to abandon the training session immediately before Kao Lyn became occupied again. _Lady Aleda has not come, _he thought, disappointed. _I suppose she does not wish to. She's shy, so perhaps I'm forcing her too much. _

He rounded a corner in such deep thought that he collided into someone. He grabbed the arms of the person to steady her. "I'm so sorry—!" He gaped into emerald eyes. "Lady Aleda!" Her presence shocked him like a smack in the face, leaving red on his cheeks. No time to put on a suave air as he usually did; he'd already tripped. "I-I'm sorry," Zero stammered in embarrassment. "Are you alright, milady? I should have paid more attention."

"No, I'm fine!" Aleda's eyes squeezed shut in shame. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. So sorry! I should have gone slower. I was flying too fast...sorry." She opened her eyes gingerly.

But, Zero smiled reassuringly. "No, you are not at fault, milady. I should look before stepping into another passage way."

"You're okay?" Aleda asked. "I didn't hurt your injury, did I?"

"No, no. It is almost healed completely, thanks to you," Zero reassured her.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Zero released her and stretched to each side to demonstrate. "See? If I had been unwell, then I would not have trained with Gunbike, today."

"Okay, that's good," Aleda sighed gratefully.

"Are you on your way to the training room, my lady?"

"Yeah. Where are you going?"

"Kao Lyn wanted to see my injury."

"Oh."

"Would you like to come with me to meet Kao Lyn?"

"I haven't met him, yet, have I?" Aleda mused. "I guess I'd like to."

"Then, allow me to escort you."

"Okay. But, aren't I escorting you?" Aleda pointed out. "It's your appointment."

"I-I suppose so." Zero scratched his chin. "Well, er, um...Let us go, milady."

Aleda, smiling, followed him.

At the lab, Kao Lyn answered the door wearing a purple Mardi Gras mask. "Uhm... Kao Lyn, sir," Zero began. "Why do you have that mask?"

"I'm feeling festive!" Kao Lyn said, twirling excitedly.

"Well... Lady Aleda, this energetic man is Kao Lyn, the creator of all of the Gundams in Neotopia." Zero politely stepped aside to allow her to step to the human. "And Kao Lyn, this is Lady Aleda, a Gundamess of Lacroa."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kao Lyn said.

"Nice to meet you," Aleda said.

Kao Lyn extended a hand, and Aleda gently shook it. "So," Kao Lyn started, turning to Zero, "come on in, and let's check those marks."

Zero blinked. "Kao Lyn, sir, surely you don't plan to check my injury with the mask on?"

"What does it matter? Just come on in."

The Gundams exchanged a puzzled look, and then Zero inched across the threshold. Turning, he said, "See you soon, milady," with a quick bow.

Aleda flashed a quick smile. The door closed. Aleda waited, leaning against the wall, for only a few minutes before the Knight Gundam emerged again. No bubbly old man came out with him.

"How was it?" Aleda gently pushed off the wall and resumed her levitation.

"My injury is almost completely healed," Zero said happily. "He removed the patch! I'm glad I no longer have to bear that terrible mar on my naturally elegant appearance."

The hammy comment elicited a giggle from the Gundamess. "Aw, you're still handsome," she accidentally spit out.

"What?"

"U-uhm... you were still handsome even with the patch—I mean, are handsome—uh..." Aleda, with hot cheeks, averted her gaze.

"Oh, I uh, erm, thank you milady," Zero blubbered. He turned his head to hide his pink-tinted faceguard. In just a moment, he'd recover from that surprisingly charming statement, as long as he didn't look at that adorable face for the next few seconds.

"S-so, you're all better?"

"Essentially, yes, milady." Zero, his mask of charm restored, returned his gaze to her green eyes.

"That's great!" Aleda beamed.

Zero nodded and glanced at a digital time readout on the wall. "The Gundam Force is still training. Would you like to join me and the others, my lady?"

Aleda bobbed her head in assent.

As they flew to join their companions, Aleda spoke up, "Does Kao Lyn usually wear a mask?"

"No, milady. I am just as puzzled as you are," Zero admitted. "I do not know why he chose to employ such a disguise, today."

"Hmm."

In the training room, Shute struggled to keep pace with his Gundam fellows. He panted breathlessly through the 200 sit-ups, and by the 30th lap around the room (which was the size of a high-school basketball gym), he was crawling across the floor. "Git up, runt!" Gunbike yelled. "Bein' a human don't give ya an excuse to wimp out!"

The Lacroans walked in on this sad scene. "Who'd ya bring to our Gundam Force drills, Zero?" Gunbike demanded to know.

"This is Lady Aleda," Zero said.

"Aha! The new recruit I've heard about!" Gunbike reared up in excitement. "Fall in line, rookie, and I'll get ya in shape!"

"Uh, sir, but—!" Zero began to protest.

But, Aleda squeaked, "Y-Yes, sir!" and rushed to join the jog.

"Watcha standin' there gapin' for?" Gunbike barked at Zero. "Start runnin'!"

"Yes, sir!" Zero scrambled to obey.

The Gundam Force and Aleda continued their gruesome workout for another 30 minutes, and then they broke for lunch. "I can cook something," Aleda offered the group.

"But, milady, you're so tired!" Zero objected.

"I'm okay," Aleda insisted with a masking smile to hide the soreness in her joints.

So, the three male Gundams and Shute waited for Aleda to whip up hamburgers. Zero flitted around the stove, pleading to help. "Are you certain that you need no help, Lady Aleda?" he asked for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, I'm fine. The stove only has room for one person, anyways."

"I could pass you the ingredients?"

"Zero, it's time to leave the lady alone," Baku rebuked, yanking him away by the cape.

"Hey! Don't touch my cape!" Zero growled, snatching the folds out of the Musha Gundam's hand. But, with a regretful glance at Aleda, he wandered to the kitchen table after Baku.

"Seriously, Zero, I'd have thought that of all people, you'd know when to give a girl space," Baku continued, unperturbed.

"I feel guilty to task so much work to a lady. 'Tis unchivalrous."

"I dunno what else you thought was going to happen when Aleda walked in on our drills."

Shute rolled his eyes as the bickering pair sat next to him and Captain. "Gunbike has always been zealous," Captain commented. "He likes to include everyone possible in his training."

"I thought she might like to watch, or to learn a few lessons in self-defense," Zero defended himself.

"Aha! So, you wanted her to watch you show off!" Baku accused loudly.

Zero dove across the table and clapped his metal hand against the samurai's vents. "Shh! Quiet, Baku!"

Baku pushed him off. "So, you admit it!"

Zero wrestled to smother him. "No, I don't want you to give her the wrong impression!" he hissed. "I was trying to stave off her boredom!"

Aleda glanced at them across the room, a disapproving frown starting behind her mouthguard. "I thought you weren't going to fight in the kitchen."

Zero sweat nervously. "N-No, milady! We aren't intending to fight at all! I-It's our exercise routine!" His palm pressed Baku's face.

"O-oh, uh, okay." Aleda quickly returned her attention to stirring butter around the cooking pan over the stove.

Baku smirked behind Zero's hand, and the two Gundams resumed their whispered struggle. "Guys, stop!" Shute hissed when Zero nearly bumped a plate over the table's edge.

Captain stood to intervene, but Aleda glanced at them again, curiously, and both combatants froze. Zero slipped off the table. "Ack!" His levitation caught him, and he twisted upright. "Aha..." he chuckled nervously at Aleda's inquiring gaze. Aleda, when their eyes met, shyly dodged his glance. Steam hissed out of Zero's vents and helm to release his embarrassment, while Baku snickered.

The Gundamess soon finished cooking the hamburgers and settled down to eat with her new friends. Zero, Baku, and Shute praised the taste and juicy texture, earning shy blushes from Aleda. After clean up, the Gundam Force had a break in the schedule. So, the Winged Knight asked the winged Gundamess, "Would you like me to teach you magic, now, milady?"

"Yeah," Aleda said eagerly, with an emphatic nod. Though her answer was short and her voice was soft in volume, her eyes glimmered almost blindingly bright with excitement.

"Then let us return to the training room," Zero said, grinning to see her energy.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I hope this chapter gave more insight into Aleda's character and her dynamics with other characters, both OC and canon. For shame, Aleda, fibbing to your Mom and Dad! Though she's not the only character keeping a secret I'm excited to see how that one turns out.

Next chapter is all stuff that I've written before, so it'll be out relatively quickly-I think. Even after my obsessive edits and cropping old fluff, I think I'm going to have to find another break to end the chapter on than I was planning, because as it is now, Chapter 7 is freakin' long! (Freakin' long = 12 pages TNR single-spaced) I may have to split it into two parts, somehow. I'll try to handle it gracefully. But once it's done, it'll be awesome, because Aleda will finally be learning magic from her favorite knight, and a tutor-protege relationship requires a lot of one-on-one extended close contact. :)

Please review! Tell me about lore inconsistencies, please!

-Penelopi


	7. Purple Roses

**Author's Notes:  
**

I managed to trim it down enough to fit reasonably within one chapter. Don't worry about missing out on anything, though. Most material was cut because I realized it would make more sense to put it in a later chapter. Next chapter after this is likely to take a couple of weeks, though, because of summer classes, job applications, and because it will be new stuff.

This chapter contains the tail end of a magic lesson (sorry if it wasn't as much as you were expecting, but there will be more to come, I promise), some fluffy cuteness, a mention of a new OC of mine, and of course some friendly jabs between bros (Baku's getting more and more leverage for teasing XD).

I'm having a lot of fun, and I hope you all are having just as much fun reading it! ^-^ Please leave a review after!

**Disclaimer: **SD Gundam Force is the property of Bandai and Sunrise. They created everything used in this fanfic chapter except for my OCs Aleda and Titan.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Purple Roses**

"Very good!" Zero praised as a glass vase formed in the air just above Aleda's cupped hands. "Keep molding it. Make it the most beautiful thing you can possibly imagine." The vase's surface began to morph, as if liquid, to form elegant grooves and patterns. Diamond-shapes and curved outlines etched themselves into the glass, and little dots beaded up to connect the patterns. Suddenly, the hue of the glass died itself to a deep blue. "The color suits it," Zero commented.

But then the glass form began to wobble as Aleda began shaking. Without taking her eyes off her creation, she said, "Zero, I'm starting to feel very tired."

"Hold on," Zero said, floating closer to her. He landed and cupped her hands. The vase stabilized as the knight's power came to her aid. "Go ahead and finish it."

The patterns settled themselves into solid forms. "I still feel like it's missing something," Aleda stated. "What do you think, Zero?"

Zero paused for a moment, then brushed his fingers delicately over the glass. The bead shapes began to shine, and hundreds of tinier, multicolored sparkling stones splashed neatly onto the patterns. Aleda beheld it with awe. "It's beautiful."

"I have only exposed the beauty you already carved into it," said Zero. The vase, finished, sank down into Aleda's hands, which were still gripped by Zero's. "Milady, let me carry it for you," Zero insisted. "I shall escort you back to your room."

"So, we're done for now?" Aleda said in disappointment as she passed the vase to Zero.

"Regrettably, yes. Your body isn't used to the strain of intense magic, and you are too tired to continue now. If I allowed you to go on, you could collapse from exhaustion and become violently ill, and it would be intolerable for me to allow that. We'll continue tomorrow, after you are well-rested."

"I can't wait." Aleda smiled.

"Your hand, milady?" Zero said, also smiling as offered her his silver, metal hand.

"Uh…sure…" Aleda gingerly placed her hand in his, and together they walked out to the hall.

A few minutes later, Zero noticed Aleda's hand trembled even worse than before. "Milady, are you alright?" he asked in concern.

The Lacroan Gundamess noticeably shook all over. "I…I think…" Zero set the vase down quickly, and sure enough, Aleda's legs gave way seconds after. Zero caught her before she could hit the floor.

"Lady Aleda! Are you alright? Can you speak?" Zero asked in alarm.

She raised her head. "Yeah. I'm fine, now," she said. She started to move her legs to try and stand, but Zero tightened his grip.

"No, do not try to move, milady," the knight objected. "You're more weakened than I thought. I'll carry you."

"You don't have to go through the trouble—" Aleda weakly began.

"Nonsense. You may faint again," Zero said. He snapped his fingers, the vase poofed into thin air, and his empty hands scooped her up.

"Thank you," Aleda said softly.

"It's no trouble, milady," Zero said. He took to the air, carrying her bridal-style to her room. When they arrived, Zero gently lowered the Gundamess's gold-edged feet to the ground. He still hovered worriedly behind Aleda as she quickly punched her password into the keypad beside the door, ready to catch her again should she have another dizzy spell. The door slid open, and Aleda turned to Zero.

"Thank you, Zero, for teaching me magic and for helping me back to my room," she said.

Zero smiled at her. "No need for thanks, milady. I enjoyed spending time with you, and I am glad to assist you in any way."

"I enjoy spending time with you, too," Aleda said bashfully. "I-I guess I'll go rest, now," she said, backing up into the room.

"Oh. Milady." Zero snapped his fingers, and Aleda's colorful vase appeared, again, in his hands. "Here is your vase."

"Oh. Thank you," Aleda said again as she took it.

"Should I fetch Kao Lyn to see you?" Zero said with a momentary crease in his digital eyebrows.

"No, that's okay. He can't do anything about magic, can he?"

Zero frowned. "It's only that I'm worried to leave you alone…" He suddenly brightened. "Aha! Here." He extended his hand, and a little light rose from his palm and floated to hover by Aleda. "If something happens to you, I'll know immediately, and I can come aid you."

Aleda nodded, watching the ball of light in curiosity. "My password is 8958, if you need to get in," she said. "Like if I pass out or something," she quickly clarified.

Zero bowed. "Your trust in me will not be misplaced, milady."

Aleda giggled and said, demurely, "You're a very sweet Knight Gundam."

Zero glowed under her praise, both literally and figuratively, as his face was practically glowing red. "Th-Thank you, milady."

"See you later, Zero."

"Y-yes."

The door slid shut, which left the Knight Gundam outside to ponder that interaction. _What is wrong with me? Do I mean to court a lady during a war? _Shaking away his uneasy thoughts, Zero drifted towards his room; he was sure Fenn would soon be waking from his nap.

...

Once the doors slid shut, Aleda set to work. She took the vase to the bathroom, filled it partway with water from the sink, and took it to the dresser where the three purple roses rested in a plain glass of water. Zero's little light followed her every move. Aleda transferred the flowers to the new blue vase and dumped the old water down the drain. Only then did she ease herself into bed, smiling at the sight of the beautiful vase, glittering in the little magic light, a creation shared by her and her knight in shining armor.

...

Kao Lyn excused himself a few minutes before the end of his break to visit Chief Haro's office. "Chief Haro, sir," he hailed, saluting.

"At ease," the Chief said from his desk. "Was there something you needed, Kao Lyn?" A pile of papers awaited him.

"I wanted to discuss Project Gundam."

The eyes of Chief Haro's mask blinked yellow. "Are you concerned about Aleda?"

"Not just Aleda. If she found us, then Titan may also come. He must have noticed the ruckus."

"Our trackers report that he is hundreds of miles away and has made no move to contact us or the Gundams."

Kao Lyn shook his head. "I think it's only a matter of time. My gut says so."

"What do you think I should do? We cannot violate the privacy of the people involved. If they're going to find out, it won't be from either of us."

Kao Lyn sagged. "I don't know what to do, sir, but I can't avoid Aleda forever."

"Would she even recognize you?"

"That's a good question." Kao Lyn circled his arms over his head and then slid his sleeves together comfortably.

"I think you shouldn't worry. Even if she finds out, nothing bad will happen."

"She might get angry."

Chief Haro leaned his chin on his knuckles. "I can't imagine she'll react violently. She might leave, and if she does, then it is an inconvenience but not a tragedy."

"And Titan?"

"He's no loose cannon, either. You are dismissed."

With another salute, Kao Lyn exited the office.

...

Aleda awoke to the sound of knocking. She pulled herself up, groggily. "Who's there?" she called as she slid out of bed and stumbled to the door. She failed to notice the magic light flicker a few times and then blink out.

"Captain Gundam," came the answer.

Aleda pressed a button next to her door, and it slid open to admit Captain in his dis-armored and unmasked civilian mode. "Hi," Aleda said, blinking in surprise. "You changed, again. How do you do that?"

"It is my civilian mode," Captain explained. "All of my weaponry and combat armor has been removed. It is a disguise I use in my interactions with the outside world, so that I can mingle with the civilian population without revealing the existence of the SDG."

"That's neat," Aleda said. "Are you going down to Neotopia?"

"Correct. Bakunetsumaru, Zero, Fenn, and I are going to relax at Shute's house. We were wondering if you would like to join us."

"Right now?"

"As soon as possible. Though, Zero mentioned that you might be too tired to go, and that if you are still feeling fatigued he wishes you to stay."

"I don't think he has to worry that much. I had a long nap, and I'm feeling better."

"He is concerned for your health, because you used a significant amount of energy while learning magic."

_I kind of expected him to check on me himself,_ Aleda pondered. "Where is Zero now?" she asked aloud.

"Zero is at Sayla's house with Fenn, helping her to transport cake to Shute's house," Captain answered.

"Oh. Okay."

"Are you coming?" Captain asked, breaking her thoughtful look.

"Uh. Oh. Yeah, I'm coming."

"Are you sure? You seem to be unfocused and slow in the processor," Captain observed, as his scanning visor slid over his right eye.

"I'm fine, Captain," Aleda insisted, waving him off.

"My scans say that your systems are slightly below normal performance."

"Then I can go. I'll just take it easy."

"Zero is not going to like this," Captain said gravely, his scanner sliding up into his helmet.

Aleda raised a virtual eyebrow. "I'm fine. He's not my superior, right?"

"No, he is not, but he wants you to be safe and healthy, as do I and the other members of the SDG."

"Please let me come, Captain?" she begged.

"Why is this more important than your health?"

Aleda sighed. "I guess it's not. See you later."

"See you later, Aleda. I will tell the others that you miss them."

The Gundamess gave a small smile and retreated into her room. She heard Captain's footsteps clang away. Once they went out of hearing range, she slipped out the door.

...

Meanwhile, down on the surface, Zero cautiously set a swaying stack of ten boxes on the table on Shute's patio as Shute shouted directions. "That's it! You got it! Just lower them down!"

Sayla was beside him, cuddling Fenn as she watched her cakes land gently and safely on the table. "Wow, you're so strong, Mr. Zero," she said.

Zero puffed his chest out. "Well, I guess I am a little above the average," he gloated.

"Above-nothing," Baku countered as he strolled towards them. "Any robot can do that."

"Yes, but with my same grace?"

"Grace? Please! You looked like you were dancing a jig trying to keep them from tipping over."

Shute shook his head at them and stepped forward to carefully peer into a box.

Baku's eyes sparkled with delight. "Wait, are those cakes?" He pushed Shute aside, lifted 9/10 of the stack, and pried open the lid of the bottom box. "It _is_ a cake!"

"Is that all that catches your attention? Food?" Zero taunted. "If you don't take care, you'll get a big belly to go with your big head."

"I have a high metabolism. There's no way I'm getting fat," Baku said. "Plus, you're one to talk. The only thing that catches your attention is a girl."

"Obviously, I have better taste."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Zero was about to retort when he felt a flicker in his GunSoul. His eyes snapped to the skies. "Lady Aleda."

"See? I told you he's obsessed with girls," Baku sneered to Shute and Sayla.

"My magic spell says that Lady Aleda has awakened, but she is still exhausted," Zero explained. "I'll go tend to her."

"Before you go, you think you can help divide the cakes first?" Shute pleaded. He pointed at Baku, who now drooled over all of the open boxes of cake set out on the table. "Baku's going to take everything for himself if we let him."

Zero sighed. "Captain is in White Base with her, right now…I guess I can stay a while longer."

...

Aleda panted slightly as she flew down one of the White Base's long launcher fingers. She lowered herself to the ground and sat near the tip on her knees for a few moments to catch her breath. Then she stood and peered over the edge.

"Aleda!"

The Gundamess turned to see Guneagle rocketing towards her. "Aleda, wait!" He touched down in front of her, causing her to step back, and then continued in a normal volume, "I don't know much about how you Lacroans fly, but I was watching you float out here, and it looked like you were 'running out of juice.' Your flying's all wobbly and unstable. Are you sure you should fly off?"

Aleda glanced down to the distant ground, covered partially by clouds. "I don't want to go back to bed," she insisted. "I want to get out with the others so I can know more about Gundams."

Guneagle put his hands on his hips. "If you get down there, you think you have enough energy to make it through for a few hours without passing out or hurting yourself?"

"Yeah, I think I could manage."

"I didn't ask if you could 'manage.'"

"Yes, it's fine. I can do it."

"I think you should go back to bed."

"No, I'm fine." Aleda crossed her arms.

Guneagle sighed. "Fine. Captain just left, so I'll take you down."

Aleda waited as Guneagle stepped to her and looped his arms around her waist. "Okay, ready?" Guneagle crouched down to leap off, and Aleda folded with him.

"Ready," Aleda answered.

"Then, here we go!" With a kick, Guneagle dove into the layer of condensation below.

...

Guneagle made a few flirtatious twists and turns on the way, eliciting squeals and laughs from his passenger. As they neared Shute's house, Guneagle slowed and weaved into the trees behind the property.

Guneagle landed. "Here you are," he said as he released Aleda.

"Thanks, Guneagle," Aleda said, turning to smile at him briefly.

"No prob. See you later!" Guneagle's jet thrusters activated, discharging blue flames, and he roared away. Aleda walked sluggishly towards the house, and in spite of her fatigue, she grinned in anticipation of her new friends' company.

A rustle snatched the attention of the battle-experienced Gundams on the patio, and they turned to see Aleda emerging from the trees. "Milady?" Zero gasped. Seeing his stunned gape, Aleda's grin faded.

"That is odd. Aleda said she decided to stay in her room," Captain commented.

Zero snapped out of his stupor. "Here you go, Princess Sayla," he said, handing the girl a plate with a slice of vanilla cake and a fork.

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Zero," Sayla gushed.

"No problem, princess," Zero said quickly before flying to meet Aleda.

"Who is that?" Sayla asked Shute in a whisper once he was out of earshot.

"A girl robot named Aleda," Shute answered. "We met her two days ago."

"Oh, I'm excited to meet her," Sayla said.

Aleda saw Zero coming and hunched her shoulders.

"Lady Aleda, you still seem tired. Did you not want to wait for me at White Base?" Zero asked, with an underlying tone reminiscent of a scorned dog.

"You were coming back?" Aleda asked in surprise.

"Yes, milady, I was going to return to see you as soon as I finished helping with Princess Sayla's cakes."

Aleda briefly glanced at the only female she could see on the patio. "I thought…"

"You thought I had left you alone? Do not worry; in our team, we never abandon each other," Zero assured her. "Not even when we're just a bit ill."

Aleda nodded timidly."I'm sorry…"

"It's alright, milady. I'm only concerned for your health."

Fenn drifted over to Aleda and gently nuzzled her face. "Hey, Fenn," the Gundamess whispered briefly with a stroke to his fuzzy head. Then, she apologized again, "I didn't mean to bother you."

"You are no bother, milady, but Captain said that you need more rest. Let us return to White Base," Zero urged her. "I'll accompany you."

Aleda opened her mouth to protest, but Baku beat her to it. "Zero, she's already come all the way here. She might as well stay a while," he called from the patio, where he was seated at the table with a plate of ten cake slices in front of him.

Zero looked into the Gundamess's pleading emerald eyes and sighed. "I suppose for a while…Your hand, milady?" he added, softly.

"O-okay." Aleda placed her hand in his.

Zero guided her to the stairs, Fenn hovering close by.

"Hello, Aleda," Sayla said cheerily. "My name is Sayla. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Aleda returned.

Zero pulled out the chair two places away from Sayla. "For you, milady."

"Thank you." Aleda seated herself and tried to swallow away the butterflies in her energy processor.

With the whole group seated around the table, they began to chat and take savory bites of Sayla's famous cakes. But Zero's blue eyes kept worriedly darting to the Gundamess, and Aleda had, in spite of her cheery smile, fuzzy-edged eyes, indicating that she needed time to recharge and reboot. Fenn sat on the table between the two Lacroans, looking back and forth from one to the other, as if unsure who he should cuddle first. Finally, he settled on floating around the yard.

"So I placed a strawberry at the top, and it looked fine," Sayla finished one of her long narratives about cake-baking.

"That was very clever of you, Princess Sayla," Zero said. "Your decorative taste is of the highest mark."

"Thank you, Mr. Zero," Sayla said sweetly.

Aleda sighed to herself. _Maybe I should've stayed there. I don't know what to talk about, and we're just talking about Sayla. _She laid her face on the table and thought sadly, _Maybe Zero likes her. _

"Well, enough about me. What about you, Aleda?" Sayla's voice said.

Aleda's head bolted up. "Huh?!"

Zero's eyes widened in horror at the sight of Aleda collapsed on the table. "Milady, are you well? Are you too tired?" he asked, hovering over her. "I should have noticed your fatigue!"

"No, I'm fine, Zero," Aleda asserted, sitting straight. "I was just thinking, is all. I'm sorry, what was the question, again?" she asked Sayla.

"I was wondering, what do you like to do for fun?"

"Oh. I like to draw," Aleda answered. "And, I like to cook for people, too."

"Yeah, she's good at that!" Baku said. "The cooking, I mean! I haven't seen your drawings, yet."

Zero nodded. "I agree. I enjoy Lady Aleda's lunches."

Shute whined, "You guys always get all of the food."

Aleda giggled and, almost at a whisper, said, "Thanks," at her lap.

They continued chatting together for an hour more. Shute excitedly informed Captain of the improvements he was making to his rocket skates, and Captain posed practical questions to help his human friend work out the details of maximizing maneuverability. Bakunetsumaru busied himself eating for a majority of the time: by the time an hour rolled by, he had consumed twenty pieces of cake. It was apparent now to Aleda just why Sayla had brought ten cakes. Speaking of Sayla…The blond related to everyone how she had recently had won first place at a pastry contest. "I can hardly believe it! It was my first time at the national level," Sayla beamed.

The Winged Knight responded, "Congratulations, Princess Sayla! You are most talented! I am certain that one day you will make a fine wife who will please your husband very much with your baking."

Aleda began to sink into the table, again. "Milady," a charming voice gently whispered into her audio receptor, causing her face to warm. "It is probably time we returned to White Base." Aleda, too tired to argue, silently nodded.

"Lady Aleda is tired, so I will take her home," Zero said to the group as he bent to gather her into his arms.

The Gundamess jolted once she realized his intention. "W-Wait!" She wriggled in his grip, burning bright red. "I can move myself—!"

"You cannot fly in this state," Zero argued.

Baku snickered into his hand.

"Care to share, samurai?" the Winged Knight said in a low tone.

"Share what?" Baku asked innocently.

"Never mind," Zero said, rolling his eyes. Shute raised an eyebrow.

Aleda stilled in the knight's arms and clung stiffly to his shoulder, her mouthguard still glowing like a lantern. "Are you comfortable, milady?" Zero asked her gently. She nodded, resigned to her fate. "Then, we'll be off. Farewell," Zero said to his friends, adding, "Come, Fenn." The little fluffball gurgled sadly, but he reluctantly left the wide open backyard to follow his caretaker.

"'Bye!" Shute called.

"See you, later!"

"'Bye, lovebirds!"

"Good-bye, Mr. Zero! Good-bye, Aleda!"

While she and Zero were in the air, Aleda weakly asked, "Why do you call Sayla 'princess'?"

"She carries herself like one of regal bearing, and her mannerisms remind me of Princess Relejimana," Zero answered.

"Why do you call me 'lady'?"

"All Gundamesses of Lacroa bear that title." He smiled down at her fondly. "So, you truly are a lady by birth."

"So Gundamesses in Lacroa are all ladies, and all male Gundams are knights?"

"Yes. All Gundams are of fairly high class."

Aleda pondered this for a moment. "I hope the other Lacroan Gundams are hiding somewhere. We can't be the only ones left…"

"I pray so, too. I miss my knight friends. But, they are fierce warriors who would give their lives defending their country rather than retreat." Zero's blue eyes dimmed somberly. "I doubt they live."

Aleda lifted her eyes to see the knight's depressed face, and the sadness in his eyes set off a painful twinge in her GunSoul. "They're really strong, aren't they?" she said.

"Well, yes, but—"

"Then they should be fine, right?" Aleda tried to lift his spirits by lifting the corners of her mouth in a sweet smile.

"But there were so many of the enemy…"

"Well, maybe they were just captured. Maybe they're sitting in a dungeon somewhere waiting to be saved. When we go to Lacroa, we'll go storm the castle and break out your friends. Sound like a good plan?"

Zero chuckled. "I approve of your tactics."

Aleda laughed with him. "Good."

"Fenn! Frrenn!" Fenn whined.

"I haven't forgotten about you," Aleda said to him. "You have two jobs: you'll barbecue all the Zakos, and you can find the key for the prison cells while we knock out the guards."

Fenn chirped in delight. "I believe Fenn concurs," Zero said.

"Yeah, I see," Aleda laughed.

...

Zero still would not set Aleda down when they arrived at White Base, and Aleda's attempts to convince him were—politely and sweetly—brushed off, so she gave up, stayed silent, and hoped that no one would see them and start made it to Room 346, and Zero punched in the key code, which opened the door with a ping.

"Zero, you can put me down now," Aleda said, with a hint of laughter. "I can make it from here."

"But you may stub your toe, princess, and that is impermissible," Zero jested, which sent Aleda into a fit of giggles. He floated the rest of the way and finally set Aleda on her bed. Fenn peered into a particular blue vase curiously.

"Is it really like that? With the princess, I mean?" Aleda asked as Zero pulled a chair to her bedside.

"Almost," the knight replied, settling down into the seat and brushing his cape out from under him. "The princess prefers to levitate with magic rather than walk on rough terrain."

"Oh," Aleda said. "She can use magic, too?"

"Yes, all humans of Lacroa can. Their souls come through the Spirit Tree, as ours do." Then, Zero prompted, "Are you going to lie down?"

"I guess," Aleda sighed. She slid under the covers and laid her head on the pillow. "Zero, thank you for doing this for me. I really appreciate it."

"No thanks is necessary, milady."

"If you want to go do something else, that's fine. I don't need you to stay here keeping boring company."

"Boring? Nay, I am having a wonderful time. I'd like to remain here, milady."

"Thanks." Aleda smiled sweetly.

Fenn sulkily drifted over to them, drenched in water. "Fenn, what mischance has befallen you?" Zero said in surprise. He cupped his precious little spirit. "You're wet."

Aleda apprehensively glanced at the vase on the dresser for a split second. "Aw, poor Fenn," she said. "Want me to dry you off?"

"You should not have to trouble yourself with this," the Winged Knight protested.

"It's okay." Aleda reached out a hand. "Here, Fenn, let me take care of you."

"Fenn!" Fenn cheered and gave a little bob of joy before sailing straight to her arms.

"Good, now hold still a moment…" Aleda took a corner of the blanket and began to rub it against Fenn's dampened hide.

"Milady!"

"It's fine. It's just a bit of water. It won't get the blanket very wet."

"B-But—!"

"Relax, Zero," Aleda said reassuringly. "I'm fine." She gave Fenn a last scrub and then ruffled up his fur. "There you go. Happy now, Fenn?"

"Fenn~," Fenn purred, nuzzling Aleda under the chin affectionately. His dried fur flared out, making him look even more like a fuzzball than normal. The Gundams laughed at his static-struck appearance.

They conversed for an hour, about Lacroa and the finer points of magic, until Aleda began yawning. "Lady Aleda, you are tired; you should sleep, now," Zero said gently.

"No, it's okay…I don't want to…" she trailed off into a yawn.

"I won't force you," Zero said. "But if you are so inclined, sleep. Don't try to stay awake for me. I'd rather you rest."

In spite of her insistence that she would not sleep, Aleda's eyes soon closed, and her breathing deepened. "The lady is asleep," Zero whispered softly. "We should leave her to her rest. Fenn?"

"Hrrrm?" Fenn said questioningly from where he was snuggled on Aleda's chest.

Zero noted how cozy his little spirit seemed, and sighed. "Well, if you promise to be quiet and still, then you may stay." Fenn smiled up at him and gave an affirmative mew. "Very well." Zero rose and slipped out the door with a last look at his sleeping beauty and his little puffball.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Sappy fluff is fun ;) Everybody let me know if Aleda still seems to be a plausible, consistent character and if Zero is still in his character. Guneagle, too, actually, because I wondered about that one scene with him. He seems like the kind of fun-loving guy to want to jump into situations and maybe bend some rules, but somehow I thought he might give a bit of pushback when someone was trying to over-extend him/herself. Put in your two cents in a review, so I can know if I guessed correctly.

Next chap will have a ton of new stuff for me to write, so as I mentioned before, it will take a while. But, once it's done, I think you'll really like it. Trust me, all the stuff I've taken days and days to rework has put out something SO much better than what I had before! Next up: Aleda settles into a groove at the base, Guneagle gets himself in trouble, and Zero struggles with deep-seated fears of personal loss, while everything starts sliding into place to reveal a big secret of the SDG.

See you guys in a couple of weeks! Please review! It's really encouraging when I get reviews, so I know people are really reading. :)

-Penelopi


	8. Flirts and Flames

**Author's Notes**

Hello, readers! This is another long one, so get ready!

You might have noticed that I gave titles to all of the chapters; I figured that I ought to do that to make it easier for people to remember where they left off. I know I find words a lot easier to remember than numbers! However, making titles is not my forte. I tried my best to come up with something succinct, effective, and pertaining to the chapters, but I'd appreciate feedback (on any of them, not just this chapter). Give me suggestions!

I also made some edits to the chapters while I named them. You'll see that I finally noticed that there were no separations between the scenes and added a few dots to correct this! I had assumed that whatever I had in the Doc Manager was what it would show on the site. Now, I know I have to use the Preview tool. . I also fixed "Vatras" and removed one instance of Fenn eating. I still have another, more involved Fenn munching scene to fix.

Things to look forward to this chapter: more magic lessons, internalized conflicts, and set-up for a couple of interesting arcs. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Bandai and Sunrise own SD Gundam Force, not me. The only characters mentioned in this chapter that they didn't make are Aleda and Titan.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Flirts and Flames**

Over the next week, the atmosphere settled back to normal. Aleda, at first the talk of White Base, integrated into the everyday life of the SDG. She trained in magic with Zero a little every day, and the Lacroan knight continued to tell her stories of their homeland, including those of various rituals, odd or amusing happenings in the Royal Castle, and news of outside events that had reached the castle through rumors.

Chief Haro officially welcomed Aleda as part of the SDG, but that came with the requirement that she had to have some contribution, so she busied herself cleaning the kitchen and cooking, which the staff appreciated. Zero, of course, had his objections to "the Lady" doing such menial tasks, but Chief Haro and Aleda overruled him. "I have to do something to earn my keep, Zero. I don't want to freeload," the Gundamess had said. So the Knight Gundam had yielded.

...

On a particular morning, Gunbike was getting a tune-up, but the Gundams still itched to train, so Zero and Bakunetsumaru tried sparring holographic enemies in the training room. Aleda stayed behind to clean up breakfast—it had been waffles and grits—so that she could watch them train, later. By watching Zero's moves, she hoped to learn a few combat spells, as well—not that she would tell Zero that, since the Knight Gundam seemed to become agitated at the thought of her in combat.

But, just as the last pot had been placed on the drying rack, Juli poked her head in with a request. She held up a large envelope. "These are birthday cards for some of the units, and they need to go to Kao Lyn. It would be a great help if you could take them to him for me."

Aleda took the package. "Birthday cards?"

"Kao Lyn cares a lot about his creations. He sends little cards on the GMs' activation dates and gives them the day to relax," Juli explained.

"Oh. That's really nice of him," Aleda said, grinning.

"Yes, it is. I said I'd bring them to him, but I have a tight schedule today."

"I'll take it for you."

"Thanks, Aleda. That helps a lot." Juli smiled.

...

In the white-walled, thick-doored training room, Baku cut down another holographic Zako. "This program thing needs a tune-up," he said. "These are too easy."

Zero slashed a droid behind the samurai. "I agree."

The heavy doors swung outward, and Captain entered the training room. "Bakunetsumaru, it is now time for you to go on patrol," he said.

Baku sighed. "Alright," he said reluctantly, sheathing his swords. He stalked out of the room as Captain picked up the fight with Zero.

...

Aleda knocked on the door to Kao Lyn's lab, but no one answered. "Hm." She slid the envelope under the door and went on her way. She floated leisurely along, pausing at a window. The clouds looked invitingly plush. Aleda touched her hand to the glass and smirked. Even though she knew she couldn't touch a cloud, flying through one was fun, during those rare times she could find an unseen place and a free period in her schedule.

"Well, hey, cutie. Whatcha doing?"

Aleda looked to see Guneagle beside her. "Hey, Guneagle," she said. "I'm just wandering around right now. Zero and Baku are in the training room right now, so I thought I might go watch them."

"Well, you think maybe you'd like to go for a fly instead?" Guneagle asked. "I need to test my tune-ups, and it's always safer with another flier around, y'know?"

"Yeah, I guess that's true..."

...

Bakunetsumaru entered the intersection between his hall and the bedroom hall to behold a horrifying sight. "We could fly out over the sea so the citizens don't see us. And, hey, y'know what? Sometimes the dolphins swim to the surface, and they just had another calf recently. It's still only three weeks old," Guneagle was saying to a certain white-and-gold Gundamess.

"Aw, that sounds cute," Aleda said.

Oh no. Guneagle was flirting with _the Lady_. Fire blazing in his eyes, Bakunetsumaru marched forward to meet them.

"Oh, hey, Bossa Nova!" Guneagle called to Baku cheerfully.

Baku whipped out his trusty weapon—his Fan of Discipline—and smacked Guneagle upside the head with it. "Ow! Hey, what was that for?" Guneagle complained.

"We need to have a little talk," Baku said menacingly, grabbing Guneagle by the back of the helm. He dragged the Neotopian flyer around a corner and out of Aleda's earshot, as the Gundamess blinked in surprise.

"Dude, what gives?" Guneagle whined, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't flirt with Aleda. She's Zero's girl," Baku said sternly, arms crossed.

"Zero's girl? But he hasn't asked her on a date or anything. He hasn't even said anything to us!"

"Well, yeah, but—" Baku spluttered.

"But what? He's just pulling the chivalry stuff again," Guneagle huffed.

"Look, listen. I know it seems like around her he's just being the typical damsel-saving, womanizing, chivalrous prick he always is, but I think this is different."

"How?"

"Have you seen his eyes when he looks at her? He's captivated by her—even _flustered_ around her. I've never seen Zero be flustered around any girl, no matter how pretty she is."

"Hmph. None of those other girls were Gundam girls."

"They're called Gundamesses—but I don't think that explains why he always wants to be around her. And, _she_ blushes all the time around him and follows him like a little lost puppy. There's a mutual attraction, and I'm not about to let you spoil it!"

"But, Bossa Nova, why do you want her to end up with Zero so badly?"

"Bakunetsumaru!" Baku corrected with a crack of the fan, eliciting a squeak from the flier. "I care because I want to mercilessly tease Zero!" He jabbed the Fan of Discipline at Guneagle. "You had better not steal Aleda from him. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, sir," Guneagle answered quickly with a salute.

...

Aleda floated aimlessly. Baku had dragged Guneagle away for a "talk," and when they had returned, Baku had said that Guneagle did not have the "go-ahead" from Kao Lyn to fly, yet, and he was supposed to go to the scientist for a check-up. Then the Arkian had ushered Guneagle away without an opportunity to say much of anything. Not quite remembering the way to the training room through the maze of identical halls (Zero's presence during the first trip had impeded her normally super-human processing power), Aleda had wandered until she found her destination, but by then it was empty. So, then she had drawn in her room by herself for twenty minutes until she became restless and started roving the halls alone. _I haven't seen much of everyone, today, _she thought gloomily.

Then, a familiar voice made her GunSoul skip a pulse. "Lady Aleda, why do your eyes graze the ground? Is something troubling you?"

Aleda could already feel the heat rising to her face as she looked up to see her handsome knight. "Not really. I'm just a little bored."

"Could my companionship alleviate your affliction?" Zero offered.

Aleda smiled gratefully. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Perhaps more lessons on magic?"

Her eyes gleamed with delight. "Yes! I'd love to!" she cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Zero smirked to suppress a chuckle. "Then, I shall escort you to the training room, milady."

...

In the wide, blank training room, Zero reached his hand out, and in a blue flash, he drew a thick tome out of thin air. The leather cover bore an intricate pattern depicting interweaving vines in a circular shape that strongly resembled Zero's magic circle. Curving letters lined the top of the cover. "This is a spell book, milady," the Winged Knight explained to Aleda, who gazed over the tome in awe. "It contains more magic spells than even I have learned."

"What does it say on the cover?"

"Ah, I forgot that you cannot read Lacroan script. Pardon me. This says, 'Anthology of Modern and Ancient Magic.'" He flipped the book open. "And inside are over one-thousand spells, sorted by their purpose."

"Wow." Aleda gasped at the artistry bordering the words. On one page, a gnarled tree shaded the text with its far-reaching branches, while on another, a dragon set the edges aflame. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

"I think so, too, milady." Zero smiled down at her. "I am running short on useful spells to teach you. Most of my magical knowledge lies in combat and agriculture, neither of which are particularly suited to you. Would you like to find one in this book to learn?"

"Yeah!" The Gundamess's wings quivered with excitement. "What ones are there?"

"Hm..." Zero skimmed the pages. "A spell that allows you to see farther? ...Here's one that starts a fire. And there's also one that eases people to sleep. Do any of these appeal to you?"

"How about the fire one? I could use it to cook in an emergency," Aleda said.

"I'd hope you would not be so hard-pressed, milady, but we may start with that one."

Zero read the passage closely in order to grasp the details of the spell. Then, he instructed the young lady to set a holographic haystack on fire. "Face the target and snap your fingers, like so." With said snap, a red flame ignited on his fingertips. Aleda oohed in amazement. Then, Zero casually waved the flame away. "Now, you try, milady, on the hay."

Aleda stood before the stack of hay, extended her right hand, and took a deep breath. Snap! Fwoosh! Heat rushed into Aleda's face, and she jumped back. "Milady!" Zero caught her. The haystack blazed ten feet high, and its flames flared outward to devour all around it.

"Computer!" Zero shouted above the din of the roaring fire. "Cancel—!"

"Wait!" Aleda gripped his arm gently, and he paused. "Let me try." The Lady Gundamess stood on her feet and extended her hands towards the flames. The blaze cropped off at the ends, withdrew a few feet, shrank into a bonfire, and then finally settled into a gentle simmer.

"Is it you who is doing this, Lady Aleda?" Zero asked, gaping behind his mouthguard.

"Yeah." Aleda dropped her hands behind her back and turned to face him with a smile. "I do this a lot when I cook—adjust the flames, I mean."

"With magic?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Zero floated to her side to watch the little fire in awe. "How long have you had this ability?"

"Uhm...At least since I was six years old. This is the first time I tried it on a big fire, though." She furrowed her digital eyebrows. "Is it weird?"

"No, I'm merely surprised that you know such skillful magic." Zero smiled, but he internally wondered what magic spell Aleda had naturally stumbled upon that could give such control over fire, better than even Bakunetsumaru's scorching swordsmanship.

They sat in the plush lounge afterwards for a rest and a chat before lunch. Fenn snuggled on Aleda's lap. Watching the fluffball purr under the Lady Gundamess's gentle touch, Zero's processor drifted by association to thoughts of fire, then to Aleda's odd ability. "Milady," he said, "how did your family find you? How did they know you came from a dimensional portal?"

"Dad's a scientist who studies spacial anomalies. He followed some readings, and when he got there the portal was gone, but I was there, just sitting in my armor, and I had my pendant around my neck."

"Pendant?"

Aleda faced away from him, fished through the armor under her collar, and, closing her armor, produced the desired piece: a little chain with a gold pendant in the shape of a four-pointed star sitting on a v—the crest of Lacroa. "I had the symbol on my armor modeled after this," she explained.

Zero took the pendant delicately to inspect. "Beautiful craftsmanship," he commented, turning it over. On the back, he spotted a tiny engraving in Lacroan."It reads 'Fae,' milady. Does this mean anything to you?"

Aleda shook her head.

"Your father never saw the portal?" Zero inquired.

"No. Though, when I left home, he told me he'd seen strange footprints around me at the site. They were kinda boxy, he said, but bigger than mobile citizens' feet." Aleda tilted her head. "Do you think you know something about how I got here?"

"Likely not," Zero said slowly as he mulled over the information. "I would have been but four years old when you came to Neotopia. I wondered if I could find another clue, but..." He smirked at her. "now, you're even more mystifying, milady."

"O-Oh." Her cheeks burned, and she averted her gaze, with her shoulders hunched in that self-conscious look that Zero found so adorable. The knight shook his head to rid himself of that maverick thought while her emerald eyes were still locked on Fenn in her lap. "Uhm, thanks..." Aleda shyly mumbled.

"I wish I could be more helpful to you," Zero said, handing the pendant to her.

"N-no, you're plenty help." Aleda smiled while fingering the pendant in her palm. "You've made me feel very welcome, here. I don't feel that way in many places."

"'Tis the least I can do for a lovely lady."

Her smile brightened even more, and Zero fought internally to hold his melting GunSoul together. _What have I done to myself? _he wondered.

...

No Dark Axis activity had occurred for over three weeks, and Chief Haro didn't know how to feel about it. Even with the lull, however, his desk was piled with papers, mostly reports on Dark Axis activity—the lack of it—and performance tests on the Gundivers. A few snippets on personnel stats and a possible security leak in the mayor's security system were also included. And Titan, don't forget Titan. The Chief had already read that minor note: _"Last observed at Nebraska, city Norfolk. No change in behavioral pattern." _Very reassuring, yet Kao Lyn's words kept floating in his over-worked brain: _"I think it's only a matter of time."_

_I've always regretted it when I ignored his insight, _Chief Haro mused.

Chief Haro reread the same words over and over again on the day's Gundiver tests before giving up, shoving them aside, and turning on a tablet. A few pokes here and there, and Chief Haro's mask's ears popped up in surprise. As of that day, a little dot had shifted a hundred miles closer to Neotopia.

...

The Gundam Force took a stroll with Shute through the suburbs—Captain in civilian mode, of course. Their destination: Town Hall, where Mayor Margaret would prepare them for the "movie" they were going to film as a cover for their battles against the Dark Axis. Thanks to Neotopia's weather-controlling machines, the only clouds in the sky were puffy, small, and white. Only modest numbers of afternoon runners passed them, at first, but the farther into the city they traveled, the more the traffic swelled with pedestrians in business suits. Buses pulled up to the sidewalks and released commuting workers, both human and robot. The group soon had to contend with stoplights and trollies; it was the start of rush hour in downtown Neotopia.

Shute and Aleda pointed to different landmarks and objects that Zero and Baku had not yet seen. "Why are so many infants gathered in one place?" Zero asked concerning a low and colorful building flooded by parents retrieving their toddlers and infants. "Are they not too young for schooling?"

"That's a day-care," Aleda explained. "The babies go there so someone can take care of them while their parents work."

Zero frowned behind his mouthguard. "Aren't the children lonely? In Lacroa, infants are cared for by family."

"I hear they get used to it," Shute supplied.

A voice suddenly shouted out, "Woah, what are they?"

The Gundams and the boy looked to see a child with a backpack gaping at them. Other children and adults also paused to stare or to shoot fleeting curious glances. Some kept walking, and others stopped. Whispers reached their hearing as they passed: "I haven't seen that kind of robot, before." Aleda shrank into herself. Her wings flattened against her back, and her eyes darted anxiously about the rush-hour throng.

Zero sympathetically observed his lady's discomfort and wracked his processor for a solution. "Aha!"

"Zero, what—?" Baku began.

Red flapped dramatically in the wind as Zero tossed his cape behind him and posed. "Citizens of Neotopia!" he called, "Thank you for welcoming us to your fair city! We are very pleased to film our movie, here!" He snapped his fingers, and a bouquet of roses appeared in his hands. "I am flattered by your sincere praise! But though I am dazzling, these looks of amazement and words of acclaim are more than I deserve!" Flying to the nearest woman, he offered a flower, saying, "You, milady, surpass me in elegance. Please take this rose." When she had, blushing, accepted the rose, Zero darted to the next, "And this one is for you, gentle-eyed maiden." Then to another, "Such beauty deserves a beautiful gift."

His teammates gaped in surprise. But Zero, fresh out of roses, extracted more from within his cape. "There are plenty for all of the lovely ladies, here!" The flowers magically flew to each rose-less woman and girl in the square. "Every woman deserves applause for their natural grace and beauty!"

Shute laughed. "What is he doing?"

"He seems to be distracting everyone away from our unconventional appearances," Captain commented.

Baku pat Aleda on the shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Aleda raised her head. "Yeah, I'm fine," she murmured.

"Thank you!" the girls started squealing.

With a twirl, Zero declared, "I am Zero, the Winged Knight! The handsomest knight in the universe!"

Baku shook his head. "Now, we've lost him."

"And soon, you will see me defeat this frightful samurai in combat!" Zero pointed at Baku, who jolted.

"What was that, you nut-case knight?!" Baku yelled back, shaking his fist. He bounded towards the Knight Gundam, to a groan from Shute.

"It looks like we will be a little late," Captain observed.

...

After Mayor Margaret finished assigning roles and dates for filming, the Gundam Force returned to Shute's house. Keiko had ice cream for them that day, and they happily partook. Well, all happily except for one. Aleda listlessly stirred her spoon through her ice cream, her other hand under her armored chin, staring at her dessert. A purple rose bloomed under the bridge of her mouthguard, and she looked to see her knight holding the flower to her with a smile. "I do not know what ails you, milady, but I hope I may lift your spirits. You have hardly tasted your dessert, and it is very delicious."

Aleda returned his smile and took the rose, breathing in its scent, which strangely was not so bitter as the roses she knew. "Thank you, Zero," she said as she smelled it. "That ice cream is looking really good to me, now."

Zero nodded. "You're welcome, milady." He held his questions for the moment; over the three weeks he had known her, she had almost never shared personal matters while socializing with a group.

He waited until they returned to White Base, where she felt more comfortable, and had finished magic lessons for the day. "Milady, I do not mean to pry, but you have seemed...out of sorts, since this afternoon," Zero began as they left the open floor of the training room. "Is there something the matter?"

Aleda sighed. "Not really."

"Nothing that troubles you so deeply is a trifle, milady," Zero softly said to her.

A hesitant frown, and a thoughtful stare at the door, and finally she said, "I just didn't like how everyone stared at us, earlier. I hate it when people look at me like that."

_I guessed right, _Zero thought to himself. "Like what?" he said aloud.

"Like I'm a freak."

"Why would anyone think that of you?"

"Because I'm not a normal robot from Neotopia. Everyone can tell just by looking at me."

"Well, yes, anyone can tell, because you are uncommonly beautiful," Zero said jovially to brighten her mood.

Aleda lowered her gaze. "That's not what the neighbors said back home."

Zero's face fell as sympathetic anguish seized his GunSoul. "Aleda, I'm sorry that they said something so terrible and false. Nothing is 'freakish' about you, and I hope that, with us, you will learn to see yourself the way you truly are." He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed gently. "Just as I did, with the help of many friends in Lacroa."

Curiosity and concern raised Aleda's eyes. "People said bad things about you in Lacroa?"

Zero nodded. "Indeed. As a child, I was mocked for my human parents. And my height." He sighed in displeasure at the latter. "But, I overcame many obstacles, and seized a few chance opportunities, in order to become a Royal Knight."

Aleda grimly nodded.

"What I mean to say, milady, is that you are wonderful the way you are, and you should be proud of your Gundam heritage."

She afforded him a small smile. "Thank you." Then, Aleda glanced down at her hand, saw that it was still in Zero's, and she glowed red. "Oh! I'm s-sorry!" She yanked her hand away.

"No, no, milady, you are fine," Zero waved it off. Then, he quickly turned-heel. "L-Let us go to dinner."

Aleda checked the digital clock over the doorway. "Oh, yeah, it's about time for me to start heating everything up."

"After you, milady." Zero gave a sweeping bow, hoping that as Aleda passed, his helmet's visor would hide his blush.

He need not have worried, for the Gundamess's thoughts were on a different matter, entirely. _That's right: he was raised by humans, too. What happened to them when Dark Axis came? _she wondered. She glanced over her shoulder at Zero after she floated through the door, and the knight flashed a smile at her that exposed not even a hint that the weight of a world rested on his Gundamium shoulders.

...

Aleda turned over in bed yet again. Then, she groaned and opened her eyes. In the glow of her eyescreens, the blue vase of roses shimmered at her innocently. Moaning again, she rolled onto her belly and stuck her head under her pillow. A minute later, she sighed and extracted herself from the bed.

The Lady Gundamess floated softly to the kitchen, in hopes that warm milk would quiet her processor—the one in her head. The images of stone humans, including some Vaughn-looking ones, haunted her to the kitchen door.

The doors slid open, and light poured out. Aleda blinked blearily, wondering if she had fallen asleep after all: who could be awake so late? A familiar back stood at the kitchen table across the way. "Kao Lyn?"

The scientist jumped and wheeled to face her, scattering donuts and revealing his kooky yin-yang glasses, a crumb-covered gray mustache, and chubby face. "Oh! Aleda!" he gasped, cringing back.

But, Aleda, after a second, laughed behind her small white hand. "You have funny glasses," she said. "Do you like costumes?"

Kao Lyn set his other foot on the floor. "You...recognize me?"

"Yeah. Kao Lyn, the one who made all of the Gundams in Neotopia, right?"

"Yes..."

"Ah! Except for me, of course!"

"Yes, except for you." Kao Lyn relaxed; though he was no expert in Lacroan Gundams, he had seen enough to read their body language, and Aleda's smiling eyescreens and easy posture communicated no hostility.

"Are you working late?" Aleda floated further into the room.

"Yes, in fact. I'm working on more equipment for Captain." Kao Lyn started picking up escaped donuts. Aleda passed one to him. "Oh, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Kao Lyn dumped the handful onto the table, while Aleda walked to the fridge adjacent to the stovetop. "So interesting," Kao Lyn commented as he raised a doughnut to his mouth. "I can barely hear your movement. I haven't been able to make Captain's motions that quiet."

Aleda momentarily paused with her hand on the fridge handle. "Oh. Thanks." Then, she opened the door and rummaged for the milk.

The scientist swallowed his bite of doughnut and said, "So, what are you doing online so late? Even Lacroan Gundams need a regular recharge cycle."

"Me? Oh, I, um." She extracted a milk jug and closed the refrigerator. "I can't sleep, right now."

"Hm. That isn't typical, is it?"

"No, it's not," Aleda wryly chuckled. She poured herself a mug.

"Is something on your mind?"

"Just things. The Dark Axis, mostly." She set the mug in the microwave.

Kao Lyn nodded. "That's on all of our minds. But, don't worry! We have a strong group of warriors, here. We'll keep beating them back, and they'll give up soon, just you see!"

Aleda cracked a smile. "Sure. And then we can focus on getting Zero and Baku home, right?"

"Yes! And, I suppose you, too, right?"

Aleda glanced at him.

futilely defended "You're going to go to Lacroa after this?"

She nodded.

Kao Lyn grinned behind his glasses. "To be with the knight, right~?" He silently congratulated himself when the Gundamess blushed.

"I...want to find my Gundam parents, too..." she futilely defended herself.

"Mhm." Kao Lyn nodded. "Bell Wood has made considerable progress on the Dimensional Transport Device, and Zero is getting stronger by the day. I think you'll definitely make it to Lacroa, so don't worry yourself."

The microwave's hum stopped, and Aleda reached in for her warmed milk. "I guess."

Kao Lyn swallowed the last doughnut. "Yum! That was very energizing." He rolled his shoulders, swung his arms in circles, and cracked his neck. "I'm ready to get back to work! With this new weaponry, Captain will send those Dark Axis guys packing!" He threw a few air punches for emphasis.

Aleda smiled and slowly sipped her warm milk.

"Hmmmmmmm."

The Gundamess opened her eyes to see Kao Lyn peering closely into her face. "Wh-what?" She blushed and scooted back a step.

"I was just thinking how great it would be if I could figure out how to convert organic material into energy for the SDG Gundams." The scientist moved away. "Well, then, I'm off. Good night! Get some recharge."

"Good night."

Kao Lyn passed between the sliding doors. Aleda blew cool air lightly into her milk as the doors clicked shut. She scrunched her digital eyebrows together in concern. _Why does he seem familiar to me? _she wondered.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Uh-oh, Kao Lyn's starting to slip up! :D

So, give me a yay or nay. I tried to make it interesting, to have realistic interactions between the characters, and to have reasonable internal conflicts. I tried to touch on Zero and Aleda's greatest fears. I didn't quite get to Zero's; it was going to feel unnatural if I squeezed it in there, and I sensed that he wanted to wait a bit before letting Aleda in that close. But Aleda's was pretty front and center, just as it was last chapter: abandonment and rejection. Tell me if I made that apparent. Zero's greatest fear will come up, soon. Very soon. Bwahahahaha :)

Also, I wanted to name the magic spell book something nicer-sounding than "Collection of…" so I went with "Anthology of…" Do you think that works? Or would you think that it doesn't fit the definition of an anthology?

Next chapter is pretty intense, so get ready!

-Penelopi


	9. Titan the Guardian

**Author's Notes**

Sorry for the longer wait! I mentioned before that a lot of homework was coming up, and, well, I've had a ton of homework these last couple of weeks because the semester is ending. Next week I have even more due, so the next chapter will likely take another two weeks. Please bear with me!

It also took a long time because put a lot of effort into this chapter. It contains some pivotal events, so I wanted to make it as perfect as I could. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** All of the characters, except for Aleda and Titan, belong to Bandai and Sunrise. Aleda and Titan are characters I made up, so they're mine.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Titan the Guardian **

While humans slept inside darkened, plush homes, and all but the red-shift worker mobile citizens recharged at their stations, a soft rumble pattered over the suburbs of Neotopia, behind a five-foot caped shape. Moonlight glinted off a straight, gold v-fin and boxy, navy-blue armor. Glowing brown eyes intently searched the surface. The figure came to a five-shop outlet and paused to observe a larger building with mismatching structures: a front and a roof of white, new plaster, and lightly weathered grey brick for the rest of the walls. "This is it. Where now?" the figure pondered in a deep, male voice. He descended slowly to the parking lot, his square feet landing with a surprisingly gentle thud. He scanned the surrounding pavement and scouted the building on all sides for several minutes, but then he finally grunted in frustration. "Not a trace of a trail. These mobile citizens work quickly."

He turned his face to the moon, exposing the slanted vents in his mouthguard and the slatted visor overhanging his eyes. "I'll have to wait until I can sense her magic," the Gundam said to the glowing disc in the sky.

...

Aleda stretched and yawned, opening her exposed true mouth—a flexible hole in her white metallic face with a tongue and a visible throat in the back that had puzzled Neotopian scientists for over a decade. She slid her feet off the bed. From her nightstand, she collected her shoulder guards from her pile of exterior armor and clicked them over her joints. She walked into the attached bathroom, grabbed a mini, powered buffer on the edge of the sink, flicked the switch, and rubbed it gently over her face. She sucked in elastic white lips to brush the buffer over tiny flakes caking around the edges of her mouth. Once her face was satisfactorily polished, Aleda clicked off the buffer and turned her head in the mirror to check the smooth ridges curving down the back of her head like a stiff facsimile of a bob cut. She ran her fingers along them, thinking, _I need to ask Zero what they're for. _She grinned as she thought, _I wonder what he and Baku have under their helmets? _

The Gundamess suited up the rest of the way, first attaching her skirt armor, then popping on her mouthguard, and finally sliding her helmet over her head. She flew out the door just before 6 am.

This early, the kitchen was still, quiet, and pitch black. No windows opened in, so she did not have the privilege of seeing the sun rise. Aleda flipped the light switch to illuminate her secondary domain (secondary only in relation to her own room, where she drew and relaxed in private).

She had the bacon and eggs on the stove when something tickled her CPU. _Zero's awake, _she noted with a smile. After nearly four weeks of strengthening her magical abilities, Aleda had started to be able to detect proximal use of magic, including that of Lacroan anti-gravity flight boosters. It was a natural side effect of magic use, according to her knightly tutor.

Suddenly, a shrill siren screeched into her audio receptors, and she jumped, nearly tossing the eggs. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" She scrambled to slide the eggs back into the pan and turn off the burner. The flame snuffed without her touch—thank goodness for magic!—and she breathed a momentary sigh of relief.

"Dark Axis assault in the industrial district! All Gundam Force members report immediately to the launch deck! I repeat! Dark Axis assault in the industrial district!" Juli's voice rang over the intercom.

_I hope it goes well, _Aleda thought worriedly.

...

It was not going as well as usual. The site of the skirmish was the grounds of a factory at the outskirts of the city. A thick, gated concrete wall six feet tall surrounded it, creating a square enclosure that allowed only a stone's-throw width of moving room to the combatants. The smooth sides of the factory and its gate provided no extra terrain for land-based robots to climb. The building itself appeared taller in the darkness than it actually was; its 30-foot height seemed to tower over the clashing robots. The Komusai laid in wait outside of the wall, looming over the edge and giving the scene below a slight purple glow. Swarms of Zakos scuttled within the factory gate's walls.

Explosions from Destroyer Dom's missiles briefly illuminated the bold words emblazoned on the side of the factory: _"Lyn Enterprises." _Blasts flashed throughout the grounds, revealing for a split-second Baku in mid-slash, Grappler Gouf and Captain locked in sword-to-beam-saber combat, and Zero rolling in the skies to evade Zapper Zaku's bullets, before the early-morning darkness swallowed them once more. Eyescreen glows, magical flashes, and gunfire littered the dim scene.

"Boom! Boom!" Destroyer Dom cheered and let rip another barrage of missiles.

Zero raised his shield, and one ricocheted off it toward Baku, who caught sight of it and slashed it just before impact. The chopped missile parts exploded behind the samurai, doing no harm except for the temporary blindness that came with the rapid readjustment of his visual sensors' light filtration settings. But, the Blazing Samurai was still unpleased. "Zero, are you trying to kill me?! Watch where you bounce those things!"

"Where they bounce would be no problem if you used a proper shield," Zero quipped back. He ducked behind his shield again, and another missile impacted it, though it detonated harmlessly against the surface, this time.

"I don't need a shield! My swordsmanship is good enough for defense and offense!" Baku sliced the air with one sword, sending a flaming slash through a cluster of Zakos and crisping them all.

"Then don't complain!" Zero swiped his sword, and the Lacroan Crescent pulsed into Zapper Zaku.

"Hey! Ow!" Zapper screeched.

"Allies should _avoid_ hitting each other!" Baku yelled at Zero.

Captain locked his beam saber with Grappler's blue sword. His data processor attempted to pinpoint the exact material the sword was composed of, based on temperature readings, the melting rate—which, from the effectiveness of his saber, was extremely low—and his stored information on the periodic table. But, while it chugged on that, Captain figured he should gain another advantage if possible. The wheels on his heels spun, and he pushed forward against Grappler, who stumbled, his one purple eye flashing in surprise. Captain brought his saber down to de-arm his opponent, but his proximity sensors alerted him of a threat, and he altered his trajectory to fall into a roll. The missile slammed into him, anyways, knocking him a few feet away. "Hah, Dom hit Gundam!" Dom bragged as he rolled to Grappler.

"Ugh," Captain groaned as he dragged himself to his feet. Dirt and ash layered his steaming armor.

Grappler righted himself. "Heh, you're not so tough when you don't have the human around to power you up," he mocked the Gundam.

"I'm tough enough to beat you," Captain said, spreading his feet in preparation to lunge.

Baku somersaulted over Dom, startling the two Dark Axis 'bots. Dom fired his missile launcher. The shot knocked Baku off-course, and he fell on his shoulder. "Ouch!"

"Bakunetsumaru!" Captain called out in concern. He intercepted another stab from Gouf.

"Ai ya~" Baku hissed in pain as he stood. "Where are you, Captain?"

"Over here!" Captain shouted in the dark.

The samurai started to run in the direction of Captain's voice and glowing beam saber, but his leg sparked, and he stumbled and caught himself. "Aw, great."

...

Under a tree, a boxy, caped Gundam woke to the sound of distant rumbling and the feel of a quake under his helmet. His brown eyes came fully online, and he levitated off the tree roots. "A battle."

...

Chief Haro, Kao Lyn, Juli, and several other staff witnessed the battle from the monitors in White Base's command center. _"Captain Gundam to SDG Base," _came a voice over the comm.

"Chief Haro, here. We read you, Captain."

"_Bakunetsumaru's leg has been injured, and he is struggling to maintain mobility, sir." _

Chief Haro put a hand to his chin. "That is problematic. Stand by for assistance."

"_Understood. Over and out." _

"What unit should we send, sir?" Juli requested.

The chief was silent in thought for a moment. "Aleda," he finally said.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Send Aleda as a medic to heal Bakunetsumaru with her magic. The Dark Axis has made a strategically advantageous choice for the setting of this fight. Captain Gundam has no SoulDrive boost, because Shute is still asleep and cannot be retrieved in time. The site is full of many mobile citizens, as well as sensitive research for the SDG. We absolutely need everyone running on all legs for this one." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Just make sure Aleda is informed that she is, under no circumstances, to engage in combat, and that she is to return to base as soon as she has completed her mission."

"Yes, sir."

...

Aleda had stayed in the kitchen and continued to cook, hoping to help by having something energizing and delicious ready for after the fight. The intercom crackled on, as it had many times in the last ten minutes, but to her surprise, this time it crackled, "Request Aleda to launch deck. Aleda to launch deck, immediately!"

"Huh?" The Gundamess dropped her cooking ware. The stove flushed off, and Aleda zipped out.

...

_"We're sending Aleda to repair Bakunetsumaru in the field," _Juli said over the comm.

Captain grunted as another explosion from Dark Axis's pyromaniac impacted his shield. "Inadvisable. Aleda has no combat training," he said. The mention of The Lady's name yanked Zero's eyes to Captain for a split-second before the graze of gunfire against his helmet recaptured his attention to the horde of Zakos at hand. He flung a magical flash into the crowd, toppling them like bowling pins.

"_She will only be a medic. You and Zero must defend her until she has fulfilled her mission. Once Bakunetsumaru is able to move normally, then she will return to base." _

Baku leapt to Destroyer Dom, but his leg buckled upon landing, and Dom skittered out of the samurai's reach.

"Very well. Tell her to be careful," Captain said grimly. "Over and out."

"_Over and out." _

"Zero! Bakunetsumaru!" Captain called. "Our medic is coming!" He slapped a missile away with his shield, and it exploded harmlessly in the sky. "Zero! You and I will protect her while she makes repairs!"

Zero frowned into the remaining clusters of trembling Zakos. Aleda? Here? He didn't like that at all.

...

"Taxi down Launcher 4," a male SDG staff member directed the Gundamess. Aleda glided down the designated launcher—the ring finger—as the intercom blared, "Head directly northwest 21.3 kilometers of White Base to find Bakunetsumaru."

"Okay," Aleda squeaked. She flung herself from the tip of the launcher and glided away from the rising sun. Blasts echoed, and explosions flashed in the dark distance. As she drew closer, Aleda could see the factory site. Solar panels lined its roof, and the tall walls were impenetrable grey. _A factory that makes mobile citizens, _Aleda realized from the name in bold silver words on the side of the building.

Dom blasted the factory building's walls, causing the structure to quake. Captain fired on Grappler Gouf with his beam rifle, which kept the foe dancing at a distance. Zero and Zapper were sword-to-axe, exchanging fierce blows that sparked against each other's blades. Defeated Zakos piled in the narrow turf space within the defensive outer wall. A gleam of bright red burst out of a crumbled section of the gate; Bakunetsumaru gave a determined shout and charged at Destroyer Dom, swords at the ready but his left leg sparking at the knee joint. Dom wheeled and fired missiles before he even crossed half the distance. Baku gathered his legs underneath him and crossed his swords in front of him. When he pushed off, a flaming X flew forward and cut the missiles, but he tripped over his sparking knee and fell to his face. "Gah!"

Aleda zoomed towards Baku. Zero caught sight of her gold-and-white form in the corner of his eyescreens. "Aleda!" he cried. Zapper's foot kicked him under the GunSoul. "Oof!" As he stumbled, he brought his shield forward to block Zapper's axe swing, and the curved blade meant for his chest clanged off the hard surface.

In the meantime, Dom fired more missiles Baku's way, in such a wide spread that a couple veered towards Aleda. Eyes wide, the Gundamess jerked to the side and missed one. The other headed for her face. A purple beam shot knocked it aside and detonated it far enough away that only a gust of heat reached her. "Careful!" Captain shouted to her as he fired Vulcan cannon shots at Grappler. Another beam shot sent Dom reeling.

"Thanks!" Aleda gasped, and she landed by Bakunetsumaru.

"I can't believe they sent you here," Baku said as he pulled himself to his feet. "Make it quick. I don't want you dying on me."

Aleda knelt down to touch his knee. "I'll be careful."

"Just be ready to run." His knee glowed blue.

A loud whistle pierced the Musha Gundam's audio receptors. His brown eyes widened at the sight of another barrage of missiles from Dom. "Run!" He crossed his swords, stepped in between Aleda and the missiles, and braced himself.

Crash! Boom! The missiles exploded, but the blasts washed around a thick, navy-blue form. Aleda opened her eyes. In front of Baku, another robot, with boxy armor and a light blue cape, had planted himself between Dom and the Gundams. Cracks marked the ground adjacent to his square feet, and a glowing blue force field surrounded him.

"Not fair! More Gundams!" Dom whined, flailing his fists.

The new Gundam flew forward and rammed Dom into the side of the factory building.

"Woah! Great work!" Baku called.

But, then the Gundam whipped around, revealing his visor-veiled face and a tall shield in each hand, and he charged at them. "What?!" Baku braced himself to defend Aleda, but the mysterious warrior stopped in front of him, knocked him aside with a shield, and snatched Aleda by the arm.

"What?! Hey, let go!" Aleda protested as he tugged her.

Zero, hearing her cry, whirled to see an unknown agent pulling Aleda towards the shadowy trees. "Aleda!" He slashed Zapper's arm and kicked off his chest to fly to his lady's aid. "Aledaaa!"

The strange Gundam glanced over his shoulder, slowed, and turned. He maintained his hold on Aleda with one hand and held up one shield with his other hand. A dome with a blue sheen surrounded them. In its glow, a peek of green could be seen through the slats of his visor. "Stay back!" the Gundam commanded in a deep voice.

Zero decelerated uncertainly. "You are a Knight Gundam," he said. "What are you doing to that defenseless maiden?"

"I am her guardian!" the Gundam declared. "Stay back, or I'll use force!"

"Zero!" Aleda strained against the strange Gundam's grip to no effect. In desperation, she demanded of her captor, "Let me go!"

"Release her!" Zero cried.

"I won't!"

Meanwhile, Captain and Grappler leapt at each other. A couple of swipes, and sheared claw tips clinked onto the gravel. Grappler held one stubby claw to his eye, groaning, "Aw, great."

Captain spun, kicked the Dark Axis 'bot away, and rocketed with his booster pack toward his distressed friends. "I have been granted special dispensation to use weapons in defense of Neotopia!" He landed beside Zero and pointed his beam rifle at the unknown Knight Gundam. "Use of weapons in the city is prohibited! Lay down your weapons at once!"

"I know your laws well, but I must refuse," the Knight Gundam growled. "Let us go, milady." The glowing bubble dissipated, and he flew up sharply.

"No! Let go!"

Zero rushed after them. "Stun Chamber!" he cried, raising his sword, and glowing lines of energy enclosed the fleeing Gundam and Aleda. But, his foe bashed a shield into the cage, and it shattered and fizzled out.

Unseen by the Gundams, Grappler Gouf hauled Zapper Zaku towards the park Komusai outside the gate. "Stupid lugnut," he growled at the wounded robot. "Get better at this so I don't have to haul your heavy bulk to safety every time."

"What's that, you declawed pile of scrap?!" Zapper retorted.

"You heard what I said." Grappler's eye shifted. "Dom! Get over here! We're not hauling your sorry rear again!"

"Uwuuuuuuh," Dom groaned, sliding precariously towards them. "Wait for me..."

In the air, Zero and the bulky Knight Gundam danced around each other. Zero tried to corral him in, only for the kidnapper to roll out of reach. Aleda flung herself free in the roll, but her captor immediately roped her back. Thrusters ignited near the bases of the strange Gundam's shields, and he and his captive shot higher.

A huge laser beam zapped overhead, stopping him. The Gundam Force turned to see the Komusai barreling their way. Grappler rode the hull of the ship; Zapper and Dom rested inside, unseen. "I'm taking you down, Gundams!" Grappler yelled.

Aleda's captor extended his free hand, and his two shields floated ahead of him. The next beam reflected off the barricade and into the ship, sending it flying through the air. "Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" The horned Zakorello Gate appeared and swallowed Grappler's cry and the Komusai.

Once the Gate vanished, the Gundam Force turned their sights on their Knight Gundam foe. Baku limped to his comrades' side and glared up at the enemy. "What coward dares to attack me by surprise?" he demanded.

The strange Knight Gundam surveyed his opponents. "I am Titan," he answered.

Aleda's GunSoul pounded as she wracked her processor for a spell that could help her escape.

"I've never heard of a knight called Titan," Zero said.

"I have no title worth mentioning." The Knight Gundam turned aside. "And I have no time to answer questions. We'll be leaving, now."

"No!" Aleda screamed, thrashing wildly, which forced Titan to grapple with her.

"Aleda!" Zero charged in.

Captain's v-fin flashed yellow. _"Captain Gundam, the Gundam Force is to withdraw at once," _said Juli over the comm._ "Retreat to coordinate A439.1 for pickup." _

"Our ally has been captured!" Captain protested.

_"Captain, this is Chief Haro_," another voice interjected. _"Titan will not harm Aleda. Return to debrief." _

Zero tried to ram shield-first into Titan, but the foe knight curled protectively around Aleda, and Zero's shield bounced harmlessly against his shoulder. Titan shoulder-butted Zero in return.

"Zero!" Aleda snapped her fingers, fire filled Titan's visor, and the Gundam recoiled and released her. She zipped to the side of her knight, who shook off the impact and slipped between her and Titan.

Titan's visor flipped open, clipping the fire. His brown eyes glinted greenish in the morning rays. "Milady, I'm trying to protect you!" he said to the Gundamess. "The SDG is using you!"

Aleda and Zero both blinked in surprise. "What?" "How do you know that name?" Zero demanded.

"The SDG is not interested in helping those from other worlds," Titan stated. "They are only interested in defending their own city." He angled the shields in his grip so that their lengths aligned with his arms like over-sized tonfa. "I swore to my master and companions fifteen years ago to protect this child Gundamess, and I am going to keep that promise. I won't allow these Neotopians to use her for their own ends."

Slowly, cautiously, Zero lowered his sword and shield. "Sir Titan, we are fighting against the Dark Axis, for the sake of Neotopia and all of Sola Diorama. Please, cease this fight, and we will explain."

"There is nothing to explain. The SDG used our pattern to create the Gundams of Neotopia, and then they abandoned us to the whims of this world," Titan growled. Aleda reeled.

Below them, Captain called, "Zero! Aleda! We're ordered to retreat!"

"Follow them, milady," Zero urged as he continued to stare down the opponent. "I'll hold him off." He waited for the sound of flight boosters puttering away from him, but his audio receptors only heard silence. "Aleda?" He turned his head to see the Gundamess trembling.

"Don't go back to them," Titan warned her. "I told them everything I knew, and submitted to every test they desired, for the promise of returning to my home world, but then they said it was impossible. Then, over the last ten years, they made an army with my data, and now they are sending you, a civilian, into battle against the Dark Axis!"

"That... that can't possibly be true!" Baku protested loudly.

"Kao Lyn is known as the creator of all Gundams and mobile citizens," Titan said. "He was the one who studied me all those years ago."

In Aleda's data processor, Kao Lyn's grey hair colored brown, and his wrinkles smoothed. Behind the yin-yang glasses was a brown-eyed, kind smile. _"Don't worry, Aleda. None of this will hurt you. Stay very still, though, so the scans can be accurate." _

_ He knew about me all along, _Aleda internally digested. _All along, I felt so alone, when he could have done something..._

"Milady." Zero fully faced her. "I don't know what this is about, but we'll get to the bottom of it." He extended his shield arm. "Let's return to White Base," he pleaded. His begging baby blues stirred Aleda from her shocked stupor, and she reached to take his arm.

"Stop!"

Zero sensed a burst of magic behind him, and he wheeled to see Titan charging. "Oh, Mana!" His magic circle spread in front of him as a shield. Mere inches away, Titan braked.

"It is the lady's choice," Titan growled. "Leave her alone so she can decide!"

The baby blues heated with white-hot rage. "You have some nerve!"

"Leave!" Titan raised his shields threateningly.

"I will not leave without Lady Aleda!"

The piercing scream of a beam rifle silenced them. All three Lacroans looked down to see Captain cocking his beam rifle. "Everyone, calm down!" he ordered. "This is a meaningless fight."

"How is it meaningless?" Titan scoffed.

Captain lowered his rifle. "Ten years ago," he said, "when the SDG was founded by Chief Haro and Kao Lyn, dimensional transport was not at all possible. But, since that time, the SDG has made a dimensional transport device capable of transport between Sola Diorama and this dimension." Gazing straight at Titan, he said firmly, "I'm certain that Chief Haro and Master Kao Lyn have been working tirelessly all of these years to return you and Aleda to Lacroa."

Titan pondered this in silence.

"Let us talk about this," Zero entreated. "There must be a misunderstanding."

A heavy patter of helicopter rotors and gusts of air interrupted them. Shadows flickered wildly under the flapping trees. A Gunperry landed a few feet behind Captain and Bakunetsumaru. When the plank folded down, the green-masked leader of SDG stepped out. "Chief!" Captain called in surprise, saluting.

Chief Haro watched the boxy Knight Gundam in the sky. "Titan," he began, causing the Gundam to clench his shields tighter, "it's me. I'm here to retrieve my units and allies."

"You have much to explain," Titan said.

"Yes, I do." He bobbed his big green mask in agreement. "Come with us, and we'll tell you everything."

"If the lady will go, then I will, too," Titan stated.

Chief Haro and the rest looked at Aleda expectantly. She numbly nodded. Zero and Titan allowed their weapons to dissipate. "Milady," Zero said softly, holding out a hand. Aleda took it, and the knight, grasping her hand tightly, tugged her down to the Gunperry with anxious haste. He sensed that at any moment, like a canary staring at an open door, she could slip through his fingers, fly away, and never be seen again.

All of the Gundams entered the aircraft. They knocked shoulders, Zero against Baku, and Captain with Titan. Zero pushed back against Baku to ensure that Aleda had room to breathe. "Zero, watch it," Baku complained.

Chief Haro clung to a safety handle a few feet away from them to avoid being crushed. "I'm sorry it's such a tight fit," Chief Haro apologized.

"I guess I can tolerate rubbing shoulder plates with pansy knight," Baku said sarcastically. "Hah, hah..." His laughter stopped when he noticed Zero wasn't making a comeback.

The Winged Knight watched his lady, who snuck uncomfortable glances at both Titan and Chief Haro. Her hand still clung to his. "Milady..." he began uncertainly.

"Taking off," called the Gunperry pilot.

The Gunperry jolted as it rose with its heavy load, throwing Aleda headlong into the knight's arms. "Are you alright?" Zero asked, gripping her shoulder guards to steady her. But, she, shivering, buried her face in the nook between his shoulder and his neck. "Lady Aleda?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, her voice warbling at the end from condensation in her voicebox.

Zero hugged her back. "It's alright." Titan peered their way, and Zero squeezed her tighter. "It's alright."

...

Kao Lyn slumped in their midst like a deflated air dancer. The Gundam Force, Titan, and Chief Haro had gathered in his lab, one of the few locations in the base that had no wire taps. This vast, dimly-lit space was usually brightened by Kao Lyn's cheery aura, but at the moment he absorbed the shadows. Chief Haro stood beside him. "So... where to start?" Kao Lyn mumbled.

Titan stepped forward, causing the Gundam Force to tense. "Please explain this Dimensional Transport Device and why you never alerted me of its development."

Chief Haro raised a hand. "Hold on. I think everyone needs some common context, first."

Titan grunted. "Very well."

"Would you like to do the honors, Titan? Or would you like me to explain how you and Aleda are related?"

"I can explain." Titan turned to the Lady Gundamess, his brown eyes reflecting green in the sharp spotlight of Kao Lyn's giant lamps. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Milady, Sir Zero, and you Gundams from Ark and Neotopia, fifteen years ago, I was a young knight-in-training in the land of Lacroa…"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yeah, I know, I'm mean. Sorry to cut it off there for the next two weeks, but I tried putting it all together before, and it was just too darned long. Like, it would have been over 15 pages single-spaced 12-point TNR font kind of long. Plus, by having this as the stopping point, I get the time to make the background explanation a series of immersive flashbacks instead of just listening to character monologues.

Note about Kao Lyn's workshop: I forgot how it looked. It's that place in episode 19 where Captain and Baku are being treated, right? Or is that a temporary set-up? _ I forget. Later, when Kao Lyn installed emotional expression into Captain, the room seemed different from that, so... Yeah... it wasn't ever very clear. If someone could clarify that for me, that would be great.

About Titan: I didn't have him when I first wrote this fic, but when I decided to explore the idea that Aleda was a model for the Neotopian Gundams, I knew that that wouldn't quite make sense by itself. Aleda's a Gundamess, and if she were the sole model, the Neotopian Gundams would have come out more feminine. So, there had to be a male model, also. I decided to create a character for this purpose who would also be able to participate in the overall story. To make it easier for me, I looked for a model to base him off of, and I thought that the TR-1 Hazel was ideal. It was notably different from the other Knight Gundams featured in the show (I wanted him to be distinctive), and it was "similar" to Zephyranthes (one of Captain's inspirations) according to the Gundam Wiki. I couldn't name him "Hazel," though, because that sounds too feminine, so I settled on Titan—a reference to the group that created the Hazel and served as the "villain" organization of Gundam Zeta. The name Hazel was referenced in Titan's eye color, which, in case I didn't make it very clear, is hazel, an odd eye color that can appear different depending on the lighting. Btw, let me know if that eye color wasn't clear so I can go fix it and make it clearer. Titan's a bit of a wild card, and I still haven't decided what he'll choose to do after the fallout of this revelation. He'll probably let me know in the next chapter. I can tell already that he's going to be trouble XD

Another factor in choosing the Hazel for Titan's model is that it was in the same stories (non-anime) as a mobile suit that I'm adopting for Aleda's model. I'd never gotten around to a detailed drawing of her, and I was having trouble getting a solid picture of her in my head—because when I did try to draw my ideas, it wasn't working out practically. So, I've been browsing the Gundam Wiki for possible models, and I found a beauty called the TR-6 Woundwort. It's scary how close its feel is to I wanted for Aleda. The main thing missing is a skirt. In order to get her a skirt and to give her a model from Gundam Wing like Zero and the other Lacroan Gundams, I'm taking the Hydra's skirt. There's a third source that I'm also taking for her, but revealing that outright would give spoilers. :) So, if you wanted a clearer picture: Woundwort + Hydra skirt + elongated chest and gold angular wing motif on shoulders. I'm in the process of drawing her, but I've always had issues with Gundams because of the precision and sharp angles required, so don't expect a presentable visual anytime soon. The previous descriptions that I gave for her still apply; I didn't see any conflict with the new models.

Also, some more Gundam "biology": all of the Sola Diorama Gundams have mouths that resemble Genkimaru's. This lets them eat food and express themselves in otherwise impossible ways such as kissing ;) And Genkimaru gives me a canon excuse to have it that way. The armor that Sola Diorama Gundams have is a combination of nanite-grown parts and crafted parts. Lacroan armor in particular magically grows to continue to fit the wearer—otherwise Aleda and Titan wouldn't have Lacroan armor that fits, would they? Full Arkian armor is crafted to the wearer when he/she comes of age, and then nanites work with it to help it grow or shrink along with the wearer's size and to repair it along with the wearer's injuries. The features on the top/back of the head under the helmet of Sola Diorama Gundams serves as natural protection and grows with the Gundam, but it does not need to be trimmed or maintained like actual hair.

So, review and let me know how this went. Is my imagery good? Are the characters acting realistically and in-character? I tried hard to make a vivid battle scene and set up the environment of the fight. Were you surprised by Titan's revelation? Is he an interesting character? What are you looking forward to in the next chapter? I worked my darndest to put out a great chapter, so please review so I can know if it was good or not and where I can improve.

See you next chapter!

-Penelopi


	10. Chosen One

**Author's Notes**

Hey, all! So, my semester ended with all A's, yay! And, now, I have a bit more time to devote to writing, and chapters should be coming out more frequently, again. I know I made you all wait a long time, though, so because of that—and because someone voted on my poll (see my profile) for my chapters to be over 5,000 words—this chapter is super-long! 14-and-a-half pages single-spaced, bwahahahaha! I hope you're ready!

**Disclaimer: **Bandai and Sunrise made SD Gundam Force, its setting, and its characters. The only original characters I developed are Aleda and Titan.

I'll get out of the way now so that Titan can tell his story. :)

* * *

**Chapter 10: Chosen One**

"Fifteen years ago, I was a young knight-in-training in the land of Lacroa. My master was August the Wild," Titan began. "One day, while we were sparring…" Titan trembled slightly as his memories surfaced. "…a dark vortex appeared and sucked us both into a place of darkness…"

_In the courtyard of a small castle, a red-armored Gundam wearing a cape and wielding an axe crossed blades with a young navy blue Knight Gundam a head shorter than him. The younger Gundam struggled to maintain a hold of his sword against the vigorous assault of his master. August's violet eyes glinted with the wildness he was named for; eagerness and passion flashed through the dancing sweeps of his blade. _

_With another swipe and a clang, the sword flew out of Titan's hand. The young one sagged, his shield clanking against his side. "I can't master the sword," he complained. _

_August shrugged. "Then don't. Use something else, like I do." He flipped his axe in the air and caught it again by the handle. "Use your shield. I'm quite impressed with the way you use it like a battering ram." _

_Titan blushed. "'Tis not meant to be my primary weapon, though. I did that out of desperation." _

"_Who cares about conventionality in a fight?" August raised his axe, and from his blue magic circle sprang a large blue, rectangular shield identical to Titan's. "Here, take this." He tossed it to his pupil. Another grew from the magic circle. "And this." _

_Titan clapped his two shield-laden hands together to try to catch it, but it clattered to the ground. "I think three is overdoing it," he said. _

"_Put it on your back. That way you'll be protected on all sides." _

_Titan awkwardly situated the shields; they nearly engulfed him. The two in his hands banged against each other when he moved. "Like this?" he asked, peering between the shields. _

_August smirked. "Just like that." _

"_I can't move very well…" _

"_When you grow up, I'm sure it'll work well. You'll be a walking fortress, my boy!" August slapped him on the back-shield, and he tumbled forward as his instructor laughed. _

_A purplish light reflected off the shiny shields. "Hm?" August turned around and saw a huge purple vortex spring in front of them. "What on Sola Diorama…?" Titan looked up. _

_The light swelled and enveloped them. "Sir August!" Titan cried in fear. _

_August pushed the young Knight Gundam down in his pile of shields. "Stay down!" _

_When the light faded, the two were in darkness. Groans echoed in the black. They blinked as their visual receptors adjusted to the dim lighting: the only light came from their own eyescreens—and those of other robots. In the low glow, they could see bunches of cables winding up and over the side of a wall. They stood—Titan almost tripping over his shields—and wheeled about to see that the walls enclosed them in all sides. And as their visibility increased, they could see their companions more clearly. _

"_Where are we?" Titan asked._

"_No one knows." August and Titan met the gaze of a Gundamess armored in violet with tassels dangling from her helmet. "We've all just arrived, mere minutes between us." _

_August eyed the crowd: five Gundamesses and four Gundams, all of varying ages. One hunched form shook with age as he shuffled around. Another seemed to be in his late teens, and he wore a green cape. _

"…We found other Gundams of Lacroa there. Including one female child." He gestured to Aleda. "You." She nodded and shifted closer to Zero.

_A flash of purple light blinded them momentarily. The wails of a baby pierced their GunSouls. The violet Gundamess crawled in the dark to find her. "Hold on, sweetheart, I'm coming," she cooed as she felt her way around the other Gundams. _

_But, August reached her first, guided by the practiced audio receptors of a warrior. "Whoever kidnapped us are even monsters enough to take a child," he snarled as he lifted the child into his arms. As Titan's eyes adjusted, he could see that the little Lacroan Gundam was wrapped in a pink cloth and the little armor pieces on her shoulders where white with gold, feathered edges. _

"Terrible robots—the Dark Axis, I believe you call them—came to chain us down for some ghastly science experiment."

_Screams sounded just beyond the pit. Sparks flashed overhead. August passed the child Gundamess to the violet one. "You," he said to two able-bodied Knight Gundams, "let's investigate. Everyone else, stay here." _

_ The three flew up over the lip of the pit, and they immediately shied away from some unseen entities. "What have you done?" August gasped at a horror past the rim. _

_"What is this?!" "They can fly, zako!" came foreign voices. "Knock them down!" Gunfire sounded, and the Knight Gundams scattered. Clangs of battle sounded beyond the window of the pit. Bright beams suddenly shot across the ceiling. _

_ Within moments, August and the other two fell into the pit again, groaning and smoking. Shadows loomed over the lip, with purple glowing eyes staring at their prey. One rose taller than the rest, and jet booster attachments fanned behind him like wings. In the dim lighting, the trapped Gundams could barely detect an orangish hue to his armor." Chain them down," came a deep voice from the mysterious robot. "We need to keep them here so we can see what makes them tick." Clinking and clanging sounded, and then some of the little round shadows, holding chains, jumped into the pit. _

Condensation collected on Titan's helm as he struggled to push through the traumatizing images. "We fought back. We especially wanted to protect you, milady, who were a mere infant."

_Bullets flew, blades sliced, magic blasts flashed and flared, and arrows whizzed. Magic circles illuminated the air. In the pale glow, a crowd of Zakos piled on the green-caped Knight Gundam on the periphery and strung him by the chains. He thrashed desperately to free his bound arms. "Help!' _

_ "Protect the women, children, and elderly!" August ordered. He and the rest of the Knight Gundams circled the Gundamesses and the elderly Knight Gundam. Titan pushed with his shields against the crowd of Zakos. _

_ "We must attack the leader!" August shouted. He sliced a chain in a Zako's hand and then swathed a path to the captured Knight Gundam, dropping enemies in his wake. Zakos parted in terror. "Cut through them, quickly!" August cut the chains binding the green-caped Knight Gundam._

_ From the other side came a cry, followed by a crash. A Knight Gundam fell, dragged down by the horde, and Zakos stomped over him to the easy pickings within the protective circle. "No!" Titan shouted. _

_ August leapt over the crowd and smacked away the Zakos. The violet Gundamess clutched the baby tightly against her. The Knight Gundam beneath the Zako pile pushed the foes off and started to stand. _

_ "This is a most inefficient operation," the deep voice of the enemy leader said from above. Shattering sounds rang as green-glowing beams pierced the GunSouls of the elderly Knight Gundam and two Gundamesses. The rest gaped in horror as the victims croaked their last. "Now you see you are outclassed. Surrender, and I may grant you your life. It would be a shame if I had to kill any more specimens." _

_ "Let's go!" the green-caped knight said to August, who nodded. _

_ "Everyone, fly, now!" August shouted, pushing off. Titan and the rest immediately followed in the desperate rush. _

_ The one with the green cape fell in seconds, blasted by a laser in the face. Another with arrows died with a Zako's axe in his chest. Lab tables with deceased Lacroan Gundams surrounded the rim of the pit; scorches marked their bodies in various places, and holes were melted into the joints and GunSouls. August, Titan, and one last Knight Gundam fought valorously, but another Lady Gundamess dropped. _

_ With six remaining of their original number, August glimpsed a ray of hope in the shadowy room. "A machine!" he called to the others. "It looks like a transport device!" A large ring of metal emanated a purple glow within its circle. _

_ The violet Gundamess holding the little baby gave a startled cry as the large leader of the horde landed in front of her. She curled herself around the baby. "No!" _

_ With a sickening shing, the Dark Axis robot slashed an arm-mounted saw across her back, and she split. "No!" August cried. The Gundamess's eyes darkened, and she fell forward. Underneath her broken body, the baby shrieked. _

_ Chinks sounded as the saw retracted into her murderer's armor. He stepped closer. "I'll take the infant one. She'll be far less trouble." His black hand reached down. _

_ An axe lopped off the tips of his fingers. The single purple eye glared at August, who brought the axe up for another blow. The jet boosters on his back jerked him out of the swing, but the next blow scratched his helmet and knocked his head. The one-eyed robot recoiled, and August took the chance to turn over the violet Gundamess's body and uncover the little bundle of pink and white. He scooped the crying infant into his arm. "I'll protect you, little one," he vowed. _

"We seized momentary control of a transport device. As other Gundams from Lacroa were slaughtered close by, my master placed you in my arms and sent me through a portal..." He shook his head to rid himself of the lingering gory details of that day.

_"Here, Titan! Take the child and go!" _

_ August shoved the crying baby Gundamess into Titan's small hands and faced a horde of Zakos while expertly twirling his axe. An agonizing scream echoed from the darkness ahead, and one of the Knight Gundams collapsed just in the light of the portal machine behind them. He writhed painfully on the floor for a split second, and then his eyes went dark. August tensed and moved ahead with axe raised. In the shadows, they could see the hulking, winged shape approaching. The armor on one arm had branched into an intimidating tree of myriad tools, whirring, whirling, and clicking to express the morbid eagerness that the robot's own face could not._

_ "Master August!" Titan cried fearfully. "What about you?" _

_ August spared him a smirk over his shoulder. "I'll be right behind you. Go on!" _

_ Titan's shields clunked and folded around the infant as he held her tightly, turned, and leapt into the wheel of purple. When he next could see, clear skies and lush forest surrounded him, and twin spires rose in the distance. Over the wails of his little charge, he heard a snap behind him and wheeled. The portal was gone. "Master! Master August!" The young Gundam's eyescreens brimmed. "Master August!" _

"We had no idea where the portal would lead us, but you and I appeared in Neotopia.

"I set the little lady down under a tree while I went to investigate a nearby settlement." Titan sighed. "I was merely twelve years old—still very foolish. When I returned, you had been taken, milady. I tracked the footprints to a human household, and upon peering inside, I saw that the parents were caring for you. Since you were safe, I thought it best to leave you with that family while I searched this world for answers."

"You made the footprints that Dad saw," Aleda said in amazement.

"Footprints? Ah, yes, I did walk; I feared that someone would spot us if I flew." Titan then continued, "I wandered, survived, and observed this world. Eventually, I found Kao Lyn, who I heard was an expert in robotics, to see if he would know what those hostile robots were." With a nod to Kao Lyn and Chief Haro, he finished, "And the rest, I'll leave to you."

Kao Lyn sighed. "Titan's body contained advanced technology that I had never seen before. I was very excited to observe him. And, I was very sympathetic to his situation. I thought I—and Chief Haro—could help," he said with a glance to the masked man. "I took scans, and Chief Haro dug up information on dimensional travel." Kao Lyn shook his head regretfully. "We learned a lot, but in the end, we didn't know how to get Titan home."

"We also observed Aleda when her family contacted us," Chief Haro said. "Thorough scans were conducted, but we couldn't tell them anything about where Aleda came from. That would have required us to leak information about Titan, and we didn't want to violate his privacy or his trust."

Aleda nodded slowly.

"On the other hand," Chief Haro continued, "we knew that, in spite of our technological limitations, someone else could send individuals to our dimension, and that someone else was not very friendly. So, we started planning countermeasures."

"You mean the SDG?" Baku asked.

"Exactly," Kao Lyn chimed in. "And Titan and Aleda were made of tougher compounds and constructed with a more effective design than I had ever seen. So, I replicated their features."

Aleda's eyes widened, and she breathed, "Then I..."

"Yes, you and Titan were the basis for Captain Gundam, Guneagle, and the Gundivers—all of our Gundams," Kao Lyn confirmed.

"Wait," Zero said, "If they are all based on both Aleda and Titan, then why are all of the Neotopian Gundams male?"

Kao Lyn sweat nervously. "Well, you see..."

Chief Haro coughed. "There were certain complications."

"Your design, Aleda, was far more complex," Kao Lyn explained to Aleda. "It contained parts that I didn't understand at the time, such as an extra cavity in your torso that contained specialized nanites." He grinned. "But within the context of all of the Sola Diorama Gundams I have observed, I believe that I now understand the reason for your complexity."

Zero shifted uncomfortably.

"What is your theory, Kao Lyn?" Captain asked obliviously.

Baku tinted even redder than normal and clapped his hands to his audio sensors. "We don't need to hear it!"

"I'll let your friends explain it later," Kao Lyn laughed as the two male Gundams in question glared.

"Um..." Aleda began uncertainly, "what _did _you copy from me?"

Kao Lyn smirked. "Why, the SoulDrive, of course!"

"What?" Zero and Baku gasped, as Aleda blinked in surprise.

"Aleda's power source there—" Kao Lyn pointed at her green GunSoul. "—contains more efficient power output than Titan's, so we tried to emulate it, flame and all."

"Flame, sir?" Zero repeated.

"Yes, flame. There's a little flame inside of her GunSoul. That's why Captain's SoulDrive has one in its core." Kao Lyn frowned. "Is that uncommon?"

Zero looked at Titan, who returned the glance quizzically. "Um, well..." He looked at Aleda by his side, who watched him anxiously. "It's not part of our physiology, male or female, that I know of."

Aleda dipped her head to ponder this.

"Well, it was very useful," Kao Lyn said quickly. "We also compared your features and Titan's features in order to derive commonalities, such as joint alignment and wire layout. Your specifications were critical to the construction of the SDG's Gundams."

"Now, may I learn about the Dimensional Transport Device?" Titan interjected.

"Yes," Chief Haro spoke, stepping forward. "Allow me to explain. We started research into dimensional transport technology at the same time that Chief Kao Lyn was planning to incorporate Gundam designs into his creations. But, it proved so difficult that it took us ten years to create a working prototype. We borrowed publicly released research from your foster father, Aleda, and when we found Bell Wood, the pieces started coming together.

"But," Haro said, "the development of the Dimensional Transport Device, in spite of its importance to Neotopia and to Aleda and Titan, had to be kept secret for two reasons. We could not reveal the SDG to the public, because, as you know, its existence violates the pacifist ideals of the city. Also, there were so many unknowns when we began research that we could not raise your hopes again until we had it working. We planned to contact both of you after successful and reliable results had been demonstrated."

Looking at a certain Musha Gundam, Haro continued, "We had one successful instance of transport, when the Dimensional Transport Device accidentally brought Bakunetsumaru to Neotopia. But, we need more tests to prove it is safe and reliable, and for that, we are waiting for Bell Wood to finish some repairs on the machine."

Baku looked away and scratched the back of his helmet guiltily.

Chief Haro said to Titan, "As soon as the Dimensional Transport Device is proven to be safe and reliable, we will let you know. Though," he added, "there is a complication to your trip home that you may not be aware of." He nodded at the other Knight Gundam. "From the eyewitness reports of Zero the Winged Knight, as well as Captain Gundam, Bakunetsumaru, and honorary member Shute—who is not currently present—Lacroa has been conquered by the Dark Axis and is currently uninhabitable."

Titan stumbled in shock. "What?" He scanned the faces of the other Gundams. "When did this happen?"

"Two years ago," Zero answered sullenly.

"It is likely that your abduction fifteen years ago was a strategy to prepare for the invasion of Lacroa," Chief Haro said. "They were testing for Lacroan Gundams' weaknesses."

Titan scowled. "Those fiends..."

Haro went on, "We are committed to fighting the Dark Axis, in Neotopia and in all other worlds. To thank our allies who have made defense of Neotopia possible, it is, of course, the least we can do to help regain Lacroa and to defend Ark. It is for this purpose that Zero and Bakunetsumaru have joined the SDG." Chief Haro extended a hand. "We could use your help, too, Titan. Your defensive capabilities would be a powerful asset, and we could take back Lacroa even sooner. Would you join the Super Dimensional Guard?"

"I..." Titan eyed the offered hand for a moment before looking away. "I don't know, yet. Please let me think it over."

Chief Haro nodded. "That is fine."

Aleda processed and reprocessed the new information, and her energy processor burned more and more in unease. "Are you alright, milady?" Zero whispered.

She lowered her gaze and touched her GunSoul. "Yeah, I'm fine," she answered softly. Zero restrained himself from squeezing her hand, a sentimental show that would expose his affections and could anyways still fail to keep her.

"Since you are not a member, Titan," Chief Haro said, "I must ask you to leave for this next debrief."

Titan nodded. "Understood." The bulky Knight Gundam walked out, followed by a woman human staff member.

"First off, are there any more questions concerning Titan?" Chief Haro asked.

Captain raised his hand. "Sir."

"Yes, Captain?"

"What was Titan planning to do to Aleda?"

"He was very obvious about his intentions. Between his words and actions and our knowledge of him, we concluded quickly that he intended to take Aleda to a safe place where he could dissuade her from continuing with the SDG. That is why I ordered everyone to return to base without Aleda. I wanted to properly brief you on the situation and monitor developments. Titan may have released Aleda on his own if she had insisted on returning to the SDG."

"Thank you, sir." Captain nodded.

"Any further questions?"

Silence.

"Alright, then." Chief Haro took a deep breath. "So, the Dark Axis attacked a factory run by Chief Kao Lyn. While it is widely known that this factory is for mobile citizen assembly, most do not know that it also serves as a research location for advanced robotics technology for the SDG. The Gundivers and Guneagle were assembled there. Good work defending it. The factory's loss would have crippled production of new weaponry and frames for our Neotopian Gundam units." Chief Haro's voice lowered ominously. "But, this attack demonstrates an important point. Gundam Force, keep your guard up: the Dark Axis is catching on."

...

Zero stroked Fenn absentmindedly. He and the fluffball rested on a couch in the lounge. The Winged Knight's CPU continued to churn and whirr over the day's events. Aleda had had such a faraway look in her emerald eyes while she worked in the kitchen. _"You have had a trying day, milady. We can find our own food," _he had tried to say to her, but she had insistently continued cooking. Then after serving beef stroganoff to the Gundam Force and the rest of the SDG crew, she had immediately left. _"I'm feeling a little sick, so I'm going to rest," _she had said with a forced smile.

_"Milady, is there anything I can do for you?" _Zero had asked, standing.

But, Aleda had shaken her head and replied, _"No, that's okay." _

Since then, she had not left her room. "Do you think she's angry, Fenn?" Zero asked his little fluffball. Fenn blinked at him questioningly. "I worry that Lady Aleda will leave White Base."

"Frenn~" Fenn nuzzled his papa under the chin to console him.

"Thank you, Fenn."

The door hissed open, and Zero looked up. A Gundam in navy blue walked in. Zero stood and nodded politely. "Titan."

Titan bowed back. "Sir Zero."

"What brings you here?"

"Boredom. Without supervision, I'm only allowed access to this hallway."

"Ah."

"I also wanted to find you and to ask a few questions."

"Oh?"

Titan walked past to the semi-circle of couches and seated himself on one adjacent to Zero, who also returned to his seat. "I wanted to know about the state of Lacroa," Titan said. "It's under Dark Axis occupation?"

Zero sighed. "Yes, and they have turned it to stone. All humans and wildlife are petrified, and Gundams are gone from the land. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"You are a Royal Knight? If you are here, then the royal family must be—"

"All stone," Zero said somberly. "They sent me to find a way to reverse the petrification, because I am, according to a prophecy, the Chosen One destined to save Lacroa. I successfully found the Spirit Egg, the key to Lacroa's salvation, which hatched into this little Spirit." Zero pat Fenn, who chirruped happily. "Someday, with his power, I'll take back Lacroa from the Dark Axis."

Titan eyed the fluffy Spirit. "What do you mean by a prophecy?"

"Princess Relejimana Miya de Lacroa is a visionary. She foretold that a great darkness would fall upon Lacroa, and that I would rescue the kingdom."

Titan nodded. "And what part will the lady have in this?" he asked.

"Lady Aleda?"

"Yes."

"It is my hope that she will stay here in Neotopia until Lacroa is restored." Zero then shook his head, adding, "Knowing her stubbornness, though, it may be difficult to convince her."

"Whether she wills it or not, I won't let her go into the front line of battle."

Zero narrowed his eyes. "You seem... quite attached to Lady Aleda."

Titan returned his gaze unflinchingly. "I've watched her grow since she was an infant. Of course I've become attached."

"You've been spying on her?" Zero gasped.

"Protecting her. A few times each year, I've returned to observe the little lady's situation." Titan crossed his arms. "I promised to protect her, and that is what I've done."

"I don't suppose you plan to stay so that you can continue to…_protect_ her?"

"I have not yet decided. If she stays with the SDG, then I worry about leaving her, again. But, if she decides to leave, then there is no need for me to choose."

Eyes alight with alarm, Zero interrogated, "Did she say she was leaving?"

Titan snorted through his vents. "No. I merely observed that she is having some difficulty reconciling all of these revelations." Seeing Zero scowl at the carpet, Titan said as he stood to leave, "Either way, you have no need to worry about me and the lady. I am not particularly tempted by a Gundamess a full generation behind me."

The Winged Knight flushed hot. "When did I ever say I cared about that?!" He faced away, and Fenn rumbled in discontent as Zero's lap wobbled with his sudden movement.

Titan floated towards the door, but as he passed Zero, he said in a low voice, "If you can't fool me, knight, then how can you hope to fool the enemy?" Clinks sounded as Zero balled his hands. Titan's hazel eyes drilled into his as he warned, "Chosen One, you must do better than that. Should you bring her to harm, I won't give you a second chance." Then he rounded and, with a flap of his cape, soared out the door.

Zero grit his teeth behind his mouthguard. _I must be an imbecile. Everyone sees through me so easily_, he scolded himself.

"Frenn?"

The little mew drew his attention to his beloved Spirit. "Yes, Fenn?" Fenn was watching him with sad blue eyes. "It's alright, Fenn. Everything will be fine," Zero reassured, rubbing him affectionately.

…

Aleda hid in the darkness where no one could see her agony, nor interrupt her troubled thoughts. She lay sprawled over her bed, staring at the ceiling, where her mind's eye viewed a parade of shocking thoughts over and over. _Captain and the others are made after me and Titan_, she thought. _Kao Lyn and Chief Haro never asked, and they never told me. _Her frown deepened. _But, what should they have done? _

Also, in her CPU's virtual simulator, she saw her mind's reckoning of the terrible fate that had befallen all those Lacroan Gundams who had protected a little infant Gundamess from the Dark Axis. Her eyes squeezed shut as she fought her unsettled energy processor, _What should I do with all this? _

The Lady Gundamess tilted her head and saw the vase of Princess roses, at which she rumbled in frustration, rolled the other way, and sighed. "That doesn't help."

Pings rang in her audio receptor. "Hm?" Aleda touched her wing decal. "Yeah?"

_"Hey, Little Wing, it's Dad." _

"Hey, Dad," Aleda said softly.

_"What's wrong? You don't sound well." _

"Well, today, I found out... a lot of surprising things."

_"Hm. Did it have to do with your hunt?" _

"Uhm, well..." Aleda fiddled with the end of her bedspread. "Yeah, kind of. Hey, Dad? You told me there were footprints around where you found me, right?"

_"Yes." _

"What do you think the person is like?"

_"The person?" _

"I...figure it has to be another robot like me."

_"Well, I guess that's likely. I don't know what I'd think. He brought you to Neotopia safely, but then he left." _

"Hm." Aleda nodded to herself.

_"So, what was the big news that's got you so shaken up?" _

Aleda stiffened. "Oh. I, uh...Well, I made a lot of friends here, Dad…"

_"Really? That's great!" _

"…But, today I found out that some of them were keeping secrets."

_"Hm. That always bites. Was it a bad secret?" _

"I don't know, yet. It was a big one, though."

_"Is it enough to make you stop being their friend?" _Mr. Vaughn said gently.

Aleda pinched the edge of her blanket. "No."

_"Then I guess you can forgive them." _

"Yeah, I guess..."

_"Chin up, Little Wing. You're going to be alright." _

"I know."

_"Can you tell me how this relates to your hunt?" _

"Um…" Aleda peered at the vase of roses. "It's… well…"

Her father's breaths lightly crackled from the other end as he waited patiently.

"I don't think I can talk about it here," she fibbed. "Can I tell you later?"

_"Sure. Are you busy? Do you need me to let you go?" _

"Um, yeah, I think I need to go." The heaviness in her GunSoul squashed her energy level. In moments, her strength could nosedive.

_ "Promise to call soon?" _

"Yeah."

_"Okay, Aleda. Talk to you later." _

"See you, Dad."

After they had ended their call, Aleda continued to gaze at the flowers.

A knock at the door jarred her. "Coming," she said, suppressing a groan as she floated to answer it. She took a deep breath and then pressed the switch by the doorframe.

Guneagle stood there. "Hey!"

Aleda blinked. "Hey." She had been half-expecting Zero.

"I heard you'd been in here for a while, so I thought I'd check in."

"Oh, uh, thanks. I'm fine."

Guneagle nodded. "Great! Wanna come play foosball or something, then?"

"Uh, um..." Aleda uncertainly shied from him. "Maybe in a while...Guneagle, did you know about how you, Captain, and the Gundivers were made?"

"Machines smelted down Gundamium, poured it in molds, and Kao Lyn fit the pieces together. Yeah, why?"

"Um, I…" Aleda sighed. "It's nothing."

"Really?" Guneagle said suspiciously.

"Yeah, really."

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Oh yeah? Come on." Guneagle poked her in the arm, triggering a flinch and a giggle. "Spit it out! Tell me."

"It's nothing serious," Aleda said.

"Come on, I'm curious now. It has to do with me, right?" Guneagle crossed his arms expectantly.

Aleda bit her lip behind her mouthguard. "It's really nothing. Nothing to do with you, or anything."

"Aw, come on! Please?" Guneagle begged.

"You don't need to know."

"Pleeeeeaaaaaase?" the flier begged.

Aleda frowned. "No."

"I'll keep askin' until you tell me."

_What have I done? _Aleda silently bemoaned.

Guneagle continued to pry, and with every plea, he drew Aleda's CPU further away from the pressing thoughts that had inspired the conversation in the first place. Soon, Aleda found herself walking with Guneagle to the lounge room.

...

Fenn was fast asleep against Zero's warm GunSoul. The Winged Knight himself sighed forlornly. "Perhaps I should say something to her," he muttered. "But what?"

A hiss of the doors, and the resident samurai stepped in, hands on his hips. "Aha. I finally find you here."

"What do you want, Bakunetsumaru?" Zero said, barely suspending his tone above a growl.

"I think we should go talk to Aleda."

"I don't think she wishes to be bothered."

"We won't know until we try." Baku bounced agitatedly. "After learning something shocking like that, you'd want your friends to be there for you, right?"

Zero still gazed into nothing. "I don't know."

"I think it's worth a shot."

"What if we drive her away?"

"If you're too chicken, I'll go by myself."

Zero sighed, his breath rolling into a growl at the end. "Fine." He stood. Fenn blinked awake in his hands.

The doors parted again to admit Guneagle and a certain Lacroan Gundamess. "Hey, guys," Guneagle said casually with a wave. "Look who I brought!" Aleda bowed her head in embarrassment.

"Aleda, hey!" Baku said, smiling brightly.

At the same time, Zero instinctively moved to greet the Lady, and in his haste he knocked against the table between the couches. "Ack!" he cried as he stumbled forward a few steps before catching himself. "Oh, er…" He blushed as he levitated towards the gathering at the door; everyone, including Aleda, had watched his clumsy mishap. "M-Milady, I am… glad to see you," Zero said. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Aleda said, putting on a small smile. "It's going to take some time to wrap my mind around everything. But, I guess it doesn't really change anything between all of us."

Baku nodded with an agreeing grunt. "Everyone's looking out for you, and that's what counts, right?"

"Right."

"So, you…" Zero began uncertainly, drawing in his lady's eyes, "…won't leave?"

Aleda blinked in surprise, and then a genuine smile spread across her face."No," she said. "I'm not that mad. Plus, I still need to be here if I'm going to Lacroa, right?"

The Winged Knight's face brightened like a Mmn. "Yes, milady, that is right! I'm very pleased that you're staying." Aleda beamed.

"Hey, guys, are we gonna play foosball, or what?" Guneagle interjected.

"Foosball?" Baku pounded his fist. "You're on!"

"If you so insist," Zero said nonchalantly. His previous anxiety slipped off his shoulders as he floated with his friends, including his shy, sweet little Lady, to the foosball table.

Bakunetsumaru and Guneagle took the game first. As the Lacroans watched them slap the ball back and forth, the rods nearly drilling themselves out of place, Aleda slipped a sideways glance at Zero. She tapped the floor with her "toe" and played with her helmet's wing decal. Finally, rosy-cheeked, she said, "Um, Zero?"

Blue eyes snapped to her. "Yes, milady?"

"When Titan was trying to take me away, you helped me, and... um." She, with courageous effort, lifted her eyes to his. "Thank you. It made me happy, that you were there for me."

The warmth in his GunSoul rose dangerously. "O-Of course." He raised his chin. "I never run when a lady is in need."

Aleda shyly looked away, though grinning. Fenn flopped onto her helmet, just between her winged v-fin, and she giggled and reached to stroke him. "Hey, Fenn."

"Frenn!" he gurgled happily. Zero contentedly smiled at the two.

"Ooh, yeah! Guneagle 2, Bossa Nova 1!" Guneagle cheered.

"It's Bakunetsumaru!" Baku fumed. He gripped the bars. "And I'm just getting warmed up! Come on, I'll show you who's 'boss'!"

The doors opened for Captain. "Captain Gundam, sir!" Guneagle saluted.

"At ease, Guneagle. I see you're playing a game," Captain said to the competitors.

"You'll have to wait your turn, Captain!" Baku said. "I'm going to char this guy!"

"Big words, dude!" Guneagle shot back.

"Have fun." Walking over to the Lacroans on the other side of the table, Captain said, "Hello, Aleda. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," she said brightly.

Zero's GunSoul absorbed the lively atmosphere. All was right again in his new home.

...

"Those idiots failed to destroy the production facility."

"They failed again, Commander?" a smooth, deep voice said. "The odds leaned in their favor. I predicted an 84.239% chance of success."

A tall scarlet, mono-eyed robot with massive booster jets agitatedly shifted feet in front of the large electronic display screen. "They said that yet another Gundam joined the enemy."

"Another?" The purple single eye in the face of his conversant flashed.

"This one," Commander Sazabi said. A video clip of Titan bunkering down in his force field played in the bottom corner of the screen.

"A Knight Gundam." Gerbera's eye gleamed. "Ah, yes. Him. I remember that one from a long time ago. A test subject that got away." His voice lowered. "Commander Sazabi, I know an easy solution for that one."

Sazabi crossed his arms and cocked his crested head. "I'm listening."

...

Titan surveyed Neotopia from the curved roof of White Base, the one place he had found that was quiet and lonesome. The late afternoon sun shone brightly behind him. _So, she is to stay, if the rumors are true, _he contemplated. That left him to decide: should he stay to keep watch over the Gundamess—Aleda, that is—or shake off that militarized, stuffy environment associated with bitter feelings? He had to admit that the chiefs' reasons were sound, but the whole situation still made his energy processor churn. If he did leave, though, he'd leave Aleda to be involved in battles against those cruel Dark Axis foes.

His energy processor suddenly rumbled, though not with queasiness. Titan sighed. "I forgot to eat." The bulky Gundam turned and headed for the hatch.

...

Aleda stirred hissing beef around a circular pan. She smiled to herself and her cheeks turned rosy at the thought of how happy Zero had looked when she had reassured him she would stay. _Maybe he likes me, too. _Her gold-tipped wings lifted at the thought.

She heard the door slide open and glanced up, hoping that it would be her knight in shining armor. But, instead, the other Knight Gundam entered. She diverted her eyes to the stir-fry.

Titan walked further in, looking around uncertainly, and then stopped a few feet away from the kitchen stove. He stared at her for a second, then at the cabinets, then the refrigerator, then back to her. He turned aside and scratched his helm.

Aleda peered at him, and finally she began, "Um…"

The bulky Gundam's hazel eyes snapped to her.

"Did you need something?" Aleda politely asked.

A draconic growl from his midsection answered her. Titan covered his belly as if he hoped to shush it. "Pardon me, milady, but I'm quite famished, and I wondered if there were a spare meal?"

"Oh! Sure. I'll be done making this in about fifteen minutes, but if you're hungry now…" Aleda flew to the fridge. "Um, there's frozen chicken strips and vegetable soup."

Titan nodded. "That would be fine."

"You can stick them in the microwave. Follow the directions on the back of the chicken strips, and the vegetable soup can be heated for two minutes."

"Uh, yes…"

Aleda returned to stirring the meat and pondering recent events while Titan moved about the kitchen. The hum of the microwave vaguely entered her consciousness. She was about to dump carrots into the pan when a loud bang jolted her. "Ah!"

Titan backed away nervously from the microwave, which held a flaming bag of chicken. Aleda rushed to the device, punched the Off button, yanked the door open, and extracted the bag. "Stop, stop," she muttered, squeezing the flames with her bare hands, and the fire snuffed.

"I'm sorry," Titan apologized. "I thought I'd learned enough by watching others."

"This bag has aluminum, which catches fire in microwaves. You have to put the chicken on a plate."

"Oh."

"I'll show you."

In a few minutes, the chicken circled peacefully in the microwave, without a hint of smoke. "Thank you, milady," Titan said.

"You're welcome." Aleda flashed a smile and returned to the simmering carrots and beef. _Hm. It's almost done, _she noted. _Guess I'll just put in the broccoli and leave the other vegetables out this time so nothing burns. _

Silence blanketed the room, again. In the quiet, a nagging question, one she'd been pondering all day, tickled her CPU. She struggled against it while she stirred sizzling broccoli and tried to smother it while she capped a bottle of yum-yum sauce. Titan, sitting nonchalantly at the kitchen table, bit into his chicken strips. Finally, the question muscled its way out of her. "Titan?"

His brown eyes looked up. "Yes?"

She almost retracted her question, but she swallowed and pushed the words out. "I've been wondering… why didn't you tell me about Lacroa or anything before?"

Titan sighed. "I don't know quite how to answer."

Aleda turned the knob of the stove, and the burner flicked out.

"I don't blame you for asking," Titan said. "If anyone should be at fault for your loneliness, it's me." He toyed with a drained mug, watching the last of the coffee slide back and forth. "In those first years, I didn't want to startle your human caretakers, so I kept my distance. As the years passed, though, and you grew, I would come, set on revealing myself, and then I would see you, smiling and happy with your Neotopian family and friends, and I would leave. I suppose I was afraid that I would rupture your peaceful life. You seemed acclimated to Neotopia, and I couldn't force my burdens on you."

"I didn't know you were there. I never saw you."

"I always came on the day when I'd left you, and then near the winter holidays."

Her lips curled in a bitter smile. Her birthday celebrations. So, that was what he had meant by "friends." "I think I understand," she said. "Sorry for asking. Um." She squeezed out a smile. "Thanks for looking out for me."

"I apologize that my cowardice prevented me from taking care of you," Titan said.

"No, it's fine. You saved my life when I was a baby. I owe you for that."

Titan set down his mug. After a moment, he said, "So, milady, I hear you're staying."

"Yeah. I really want to go to Lacroa."

"I see."

"Are you going to join the SDG, too?"

"I suppose I will. It seems as though your other protector could use help," he scoffed.

"Zero's good at protecting me," Aleda said, suddenly huffing indignantly. "He's saved my life twice."

"It is that he must save you at all that worries me." Titan stood and lifted his plate and mug.

"Well..."

The Gundam reached the sink and set his eating ware inside. "It can't hurt to have another body to guard you. It will help him to focus on the fight at hand. He is going to need it, as the Chosen One."

"The chosen... what?" Furrowed lines appeared at the top of her eyescreens.

Titan turned to her. "The Chosen One. He's no mere foot soldier in this war, milady, he's a Knight Gundam destined by legend to save Lacroa."

"I didn't know it was like that…"

"No need to be concerned. I'll help him where I can, as I am sure you have."

Aleda nodded, her emerald eyes distant in thought. "Yeah."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hm. Seems that Zero forgot to mention something to Aleda—at least, explicitly :)

Yeah, that was long. I hope it was all entertaining! I tried to cut flack while still allowing the characters time to grapple with changing situations. Let me know how you liked the chapter! And let me know if anything conflicted with established lore! I finished rewatching most of the SDGF series, so I think I have everything covered, but I could have missed something.

Do you like Titan as a character? Would you like him to stick around or head out? As mentioned before, I added him in for this second version of Little Wing because of changing character backgrounds, so I'm still a little unsure how he'll affect the rest of the plot. My main concern is not that he can't contribute to the plot but that he has the potential to cause major waves in my plans. XD I have a couple of possible ways for him to progress, but input would be much appreciated.

I have a special request: this chapter length made me realize even more that I really need a beta reader. I spend hours looking over the same little details day by day and try to guess what wording readers will find easiest to read while still giving the most vivid image. I need someone else to confirm how well I'm guessing before I put it out there. So, if you would like to beta read, or if you know someone who can beta read for SDGF fics, then send me a PM. Benefits: you'd get to start reading several days before I post the chapter online. Drawbacks: (some might consider this a drawback) you have to give specific feedback and may have to reread some portions. I'd like someone who is reliable (responds to PMs within a few days unless under extenuating circumstances), who is polite, who knows SDGF, and who can check for readability, plot/character consistency, and lore errors.

Please review! And please volunteer to beta if you're interested!

-Penelopi


	11. Cinnamon Scent

**Author's Notes**

Hey, all! I hope you liked the length last time, because this one is also long and packed. XD There are some scenes directly taken from the show, just to let you know. I cut good chunks of the show stuff to avoid making this a novelization of the episode, but I included the details needed to understand the context.

Special thanks to Titanic X, who volunteered to be a beta for this story! Titanic read and reread this chapter through a couple of drafts and made a lot of good suggestions and corrections so that I could get this posted faster.

The more eyes to revise my drafts the better, so if someone is still interested in being a beta reader, I'd like to have one more (because two is probably the most I could manage). Send a PM if interested.

**Disclaimer: **

SD Gundam Force was made by Bandai and Sunrise. I don't own the show, setting, or any of the characters, except for OCs Aleda and Titan.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Cinnamon Scent**

A buzzer flashed on Juli's console. She swept her hands over the keys, bringing up various data readouts.

"What is it? The Dark Axis?" Chief Haro asked, stepping to her.

"No, sir." Juli frowned at the image on the screen. "It looks like something quite different." She slid to the side to let him view it clearly. "This came out of a dimensional hole."

"I see. Bring Zero and Titan, immediately."

…

"Is something the matter, Chief Haro?" Zero asked as he and his fellow Knight Gundam floated in.

"We don't know, yet," Chief Haro answered. He gestured to the main screen of the command room. "We thought you could tell us who this is."

Titan gasped. "Master!"

The red-armored and caped Knight Gundam skimmed along the edge of a lake. "How did he get here?" Zero asked.

"A dimensional hole," Juli answered. "He's halfway across the country, just in range of our farthest drone scanners."

"Let me go to him!" Titan begged, stepping forward eagerly. "He may be startled if militarized strangers approach him."

"Does this not seem strange to you?" Zero queried.

"Yes, it does," Chief Haro agreed.

"Even so," Titan said, "if there is a chance that Master August is alive, I must find him."

"He's going to pass out of range, soon," Juli reported.

"Tell me the coordinates, and I will leave immediately."

"Don't be hasty, Titan," Chief Haro said. "You know it's a trap."

"It is likely, but perhaps not."

Zero looked Titan in the eye briefly. "I would feel the same way if it were Rock and the others."

Plastic squeaks emitted from Chief Haro's gloved hands. "Very well. I know from experience that it would be useless to try to stop you, Titan. But you, Zero, must stay here. We need your strength to defend against the Dark Axis."

Zero nodded. "I understand." To Titan, he said, "Good luck."

"Thank you." Hazel-brown bore into blue. "Take care of her."

"I will."

...

Aleda watched over the rounded top of White Base as the navy-blue knight flew past Neotopia Towers. With a worried frown, she turned around to Zero. "Are you sure that it's okay to let him go alone?"

"Chief Haro wouldn't let me go," Zero answered. "And Titan wouldn't think of staying."

She dropped her gaze to the roof. "I hope it turns out okay."

"If he survived alone for fifteen years, milady, then he is surely strong," Zero consoled her. "I respect him. Two years of isolation was all I could stand."

Aleda gazed at him sadly. "Zero?" The Winged Knight's eyes shifted to her. She stepped closer. "I—ah!" The tip of her gold-edged feet tripped over the smooth surface of the roof, and she crashed into the wide-eyed knight.

They fell onto the roof with a thud. Zero blinked, and his face steamed when he comprehended that the Gundamess had fallen on him. She smelled like lemon and cinnamon—a combination of the disinfectant lemon-scented cleaner that she used on the kitchen countertops and the spice of the cinnamon toast she commonly made them for breakfast.

Aleda's face turned hot as a chili pepper. "S-Sorry!" She scrambled to remove herself, but in her haste her hand slid off Zero's hard shoulder armor, and she face-planted his chest, again.

"Oof!" the knight gasped.

"Sorry, Zero!" She propped herself up. "I'm so sorry so sorry sorry!"

"No harm done, milady." He grappled with the smooth surface of the base and raised them to a seated position. "Are you...alright?" He laid his hands on her arms to gently steady her.

"Yeah. Did I hurt you?"

"No, not at all. You only knocked the wind out of me for a moment."

"I'm sorry. I'm not usually so clumsy," Aleda squeaked.

Zero chuckled. "I know. Even an elegant lady like you is allowed a clumsy moment."

"Elegant?" Her wings tingled.

"Yes, very." The Winged Knight stood and raised her to her feet. The warm, soft touch of his metal hand set her audio receptors burning. "You are a beauty among beauties, milady. That smile..." His suave tone dissipated, and his cheery grin slackened, as that very smile captured him, molding his gaze into a stare of awe.

Aleda kept that gaze for only a moment before she caught a bright glow in the edge of her vision. "Zero? Your GunSoul..."

The Knight Gundam jolted. The aqua gem on his chest indeed shone. He clapped his free hand over it, blushing profusely. "I-It's just a trick of the light, m-milady." His other hand released hers.

But another light tickled her visual receptors. Aleda looked down at her own GunSoul and found that it, too, glowed white. She curiously brushed her fingers along it, and it warmed her fingertips like a hot coffee mug. "What?"

Zero's red cape whooshed as he wheeled to hide his face and heart. "A t-trick of the light," he repeated.

Aleda clasped her GunSoul as she watched the back of her handsome knight, her digital eyebrows wrinkled in uncertainty. The light seeping between her fingers ceased, and, on the other side of that concealing cape, so did Zero's glow. "Zero, what...?" Aleda began hesitantly.

Zero exposed his face to her only briefly. "I, um, I-I'm going to check Fenn, milady. He must be lonely," he stammered. His eyes searched wildly for an escape route. "I'll, er—" he flashed a quick smile, "—I'll see you at dinner!" And he jumped off the roof so that his wings could carry him far, far away.

…

"Baku?"

The Musha Gundam looked up from polishing his sword. Aleda stood there in the center of the training room with him, wringing her hands apprehensively behind her back. "Yeah?" Baku asked.

"I have a question," the Gundamess slowly said.

Baku slowly sheathed his sword with wary eyes. "Yeah? What is it?"

"What does it mean when..." She hesitated, her gaze shying away. "...when a GunSoul glows?"

"It means it's getting extra power from something," Baku answered.

"Extra power?"

"From something like the Bakushin Armor that Lord Buritenmaru wore." Seeing her cock her head curiously, Baku elaborated, "It's a very powerful armor worn only by someone who is pure of heart. Lord Buritenmaru was amazing in it! He could wipe out hundreds in one blow! He was unbeatable!" His brown eyes caught aflame with adoration for his master.

"Oh." Aleda touched her chin, pondering. "Is there anything else that might cause it?"

"Sometimes it's an internal source, when you feel really passionate or motivated. It can also happen when a Gundam synchronizes with someone else."

"Synchronize?"

"It's kinda like Captain's Soul Drive activation. If two people have a connection and are in-sync with one another, then they energize each other." Baku squinted suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, uh." A condensed water droplet dripped from the tip of her wing decal. "I, uh... Um..."

"Yours glowed?"

Aleda flinched and nodded yes, eyes squeezed shut.

Baku narrowed his eyes even further. "What were you doing when it glowed?"

"I was... I was..." Her mouthguard turned beet-red.

A smirk crept across the samurai's face. "Were you with Zero?"

The red engulfed her entire head, helmet and all. "W-Why did you guess that?"

Baku chortled, "So, I was right?"

Aleda moaned despairingly. "Yes..."

"You two synchronized?" Bakunetsumaru, laughing, clapped a hand on her shoulder. "That's great!"

"Please, don't tell anyone! He was really embarrassed."

"Was he?" Baku scoffed.

"Yeah. I was afraid it was something bad."

"Oh, no, it's _very_ good." He pat her on the helmet. "You should spend more time with him so that you synchronize more often."

"I should?"

"Yeah! It'll help him grow stronger."

"Really?"

"Yep! You both will get _much_ stronger!" Baku said with a devilish grin. Oh, this was going to be fun!

…

Meanwhile, Zero paced his plain room frantically. "What do I do, Fenn?" he begged the little Spirit who batted a toy ball across Zero's bedspread. "If we synchronized while I was thinking of how beautiful she was, then that could mean…" His mouthguard reddened, and he shook his head. "I can't let her know! Not right now!"

The distressing event replayed in his processor. _"Zero? I—" _The knight paused his pacing. "I wonder what she was going to say?" he said to himself. The red on his face deepened, and he shook his head, again, shouting, "No, no, no!" Fenn blinked at him questioningly.

…

Later, in the kitchen, Aleda sat at the table with an open recipe book, but the text did not process; she pondered how she had not been able to get her words out before the embarrassing incident with Zero. _I wanted to ask him how I can help save Lacroa, _she thought. _He seems lonely handling it by himself, and plus... _Her gaze fell. _All of those Gundams died protecting me from the Dark Axis. It's only right that I should help fight their enemies._

Aleda eventually pulled her focus onto the page and made a delicious chicken soup. All during dinner, though, she and the Winged Knight dodged glances, and he spoke little to her. As she scrubbed the stove that night with the lemon-scented disinfectant, Aleda sadly wondered if Zero wanted to distance himself from her. _I guess, after all, I'm not someone people want to be close to. _

…

The next morning, Zero awoke with his GunSoul pounding. His eyes opened slowly at first, and then he gave a start and they shot open wide. "By Mana, what…?" he gasped. He curled up on his side and closed his eyes against the images in his mind.

_"Oh, Zero…"_

_ "Aleda…Aleda…"_

"No, no…" Zero groaned to himself, holding his audio receptors against inaudible sounds as Fenn watched him in puzzlement. The smell of cinnamon and lemon lingered in the knight's memory.

…

Zero entered the kitchen that same morning to see the usual sight of Aleda at the stove. "Good morning," the Gundamess said to him with a smile.

"G-good morning, m-milady," Zero stammered, blushing fiercely and dropping his gaze. _Agh, that dream! How can I face her now? And her smile is so…so cute…_

"Are you okay, Zero?"

"Huh?" He looked back up to see, to his horror, Aleda setting down the pan and gliding to him.

"You look like you're burning up, and your voice is weird. Are you sick? Do you have a fever?" Aleda asked in innocent concern, reaching out to touch her hand to the knight's forehead.

Images of a little hand tenderly stroking the side of his face flooded Zero, freezing him to the spot. His ventilation system struggled to intake air. "N-no! Wait! Stay back!" he squeaked.

Aleda flinched as if she'd been slapped. The hurt in her eyes cut Zero's GunSoul, and he quickly amended, "What I mean is, it's… contagious, is all!"

"Oh. Maybe you shouldn't be walking around. I can bring you breakfast."

Zero's face burned even brighter. "No, milady! That is quite alright!"

"But you said—"

"What Zero means is that everyone needs you in the kitchen right now," Bakunetsumaru said, stepping in to aid his distraught friend. "I'll take him breakfast."

"Oh. Well, thank you, Baku," Aleda said, beaming.

"My pleasure, Aleda," Baku said in reply. Zero gave him THE LOOK when Aleda's back was turned to gather the food. "What? Geez, I'm helping you out," Baku hissed.

After a few minutes, Aleda came to them bearing a tray with two plates full of bacon, toast, eggs, and pancakes as well as silverware and a little bottle of syrup. "Thanks," Baku said as he took the tray. "We'll be heading out. See you later."

"Thank you. I hope you get better soon, Zero."

"Th-thank you, milady," Zero stammered.

"Alright, 'sicky,' let's go," Baku said, dragging the flustered Lacroan away from the Gundamess.

The minute they were alone in the hallway, the samurai pounced. "So, what was that all about?"

"W-what? Oh, _that?_" Condensation dripped down Zero's helmet. "It was nothing but a cold. I have a slight fever, and I feel disoriented."

"Uh-huh. Spit it out. You have feelings for Aleda."

"Absurd! I harbor only feelings of kinship towards her—"

"'Kinship'?! Ha! The only kinship you have with her is as a prospective mate."

"Lies!"

"Zero, it's obvious. You're madly in love with her."

"I…I'm not—!"

Baku rolled his eyes. "Look, you escort her around like a princess, you blush around her almost as much as a lightning bug glows—"

"You're exaggerating—"

"You act flustered around her, which I've never seen you do around anyone else—"

"I cannot help it if—"

"You panic whenever the slightest thing happens to her—"

"Of course, I—"

"You're overprotective of her—"

"B-But, she—"

"You make goo-goo eyes at her all the time—"

"I do no such thing—!"

"Oh, yes you do!" Baku stopped to sneer. "And you carry her around when she's tired—"

"I was only doing my knightly duty of aiding a maiden in need—"

"I bet you even dreamed about her last night."

Zero visibly blushed. "Just a chaste kiss," he insisted.

"Ha! Yeah, right! I'll bet you were lip-locked in a hot, steamy make-out—!"

"No, not true!"

"And you were about ready to melt each other's mouths off!"

"I object! An honorable knight does not think of such things!"

"And your hands were feeling up her little wings…"

"NO!" The knight threw his hands in front of his face as if to shield his eyes from some horrible sight. "No, no, no, no, no, NO!"

Baku stared at Zero in amazement. "Okay, I'll stop. I didn't know you'd be so sensitive."

"Must think _pure_ thoughts…Baku, I was trying to _forget_ that dream!" Zero growled.

Bakunetsumaru smirked in amusement. "You really had a dream like that? I was just joking!"

"Are we talking about what I think we're talking about?" a certain flier said, walking into their conversation.

The two turned to see Guneagle. Zero paled. "When did you come in?"

"Soon enough to know what your dream was last night," Guneagle said with a guffaw. He stopped when he saw the look of deep shame on Zero's face. "Hey, no need to make that face," the flier said, "It was just a dream."

"More importantly, what are you going to do about it?" Baku needled him with his armored elbow.

Zero shook his head. "She has none of the same feelings for me."

Baku and Guneagle groaned.

"Are you kidding?! Zero, she's head-over-heels for you!" Baku said.

"Man, she totally digs you!" Guneagle agreed.

Baku shoved the tray of food into Guneagle's hands, and he shook Zero's shoulders. "Zero, are you listening?! She _likes_ you. The way she looks at you—and yesterday you both even—er..." Zero raised a brow at him, and Baku bulldozed past that small detail. "You're either looking the other way every time, or you're blind! You have to tell her how you feel!"

"In the midst of a war? Ridiculous!" Zero protested, shaking him off. "As the Chosen One of Lacroa, I have more important things to worry about!"

"Like what? Until Fenn grows up, you're just putzing around in Neotopia."

"I have to worry about the _people_ in Neotopia," Zero said with a sideways glance.

"Well, Aleda's a person in Neotopia," Guneagle offered, "so you can kill two birds with one stone, right?"

Zero slumped. Finally, Baku sighed. "Well, I guess it's your choice. You do what you think is right."

"I will." Zero snatched his food from Guneagle, shoved past the meddlesome pair, and stomped, on-foot, around the bend.

"Woah, he seems mad," Guneagle observed. "I don't get it. Why doesn't he just go for it?"

Baku crossed his arms. "He is a true warrior who would give his life for his comrades. Likewise, he will shield the girl he loves from his enemies, no matter what it costs him."

"Oh...Ohhh!" Guneagle turned to Baku and asked, eagerly, "Then, can I have her?"

"No!" The Fan of Discipline slapped Guneagle across his face.

Guneagle fell to the floor with a yelp and rubbed his sore faceplate. "What was that for?" he whined.

…

That same day, Ashuramaru, a Musha Gundam from Bakunetsumaru's past, appeared and challenged Baku to a duel to the death. But, neither of the samurai died; instead Captain took the final blow meant for Baku and sustained heavy damage to his torso, close to his Soul Drive compartment. Aleda was distraught to see Captain's wounds once he was hauled onto White Base. She had never seen such carnage before, and she realized then how harsh her friends' battles could be.

Then, another Gundam from Ark attempted to fell White Base. Fortunately, Captain was repaired in time to stop the ninja, Cobramaru, and then a powerful being from Ark, the Daishogun, arrived in Neotopia to oversee the finale of Bakunetsumaru and Ashuramaru's battle. A time and place was set for the next day, and Aleda, unable to stand the thought of remaining on White Base while one of her best friends fought to the death on the surface, attended. Zero tried to convince Aleda to remain; he did not fear for her safety—since Musha Gundams were honorable, Ashuramaru would not attack someone who was unarmed or unacquainted with battle—but he did fear the emotional impact that witnessing such a battle could have on Aleda, who had seen little of war or fighting. However, Aleda insisted and joined them in spite of his objections. Baku, to the Gundam Force's joy, emerged the winner, but at the cost of Ashuramaru's life. The Daishogun decided to remain with the Gundam Force for another two days…

…

"How cuuuuuute~!" Both human females cooed, yet again, at the same time.

"He is," Aleda agreed, rubbing the cute little fuzzball they were discussing under his chin. Fenn gurgled in delight at all of the attention.

"All of this has to be bad for Fenn," Baku said. "He'll be spoiled."

Zero stood petrified on the patio that led into Shute's house, stunned by how easily his Spirit companion had stolen the ladies' attention. He had already frozen by the entrance to the yard twice, once when Sayla had ignored him in favor of Fenn, and then again when Shute had struck a pose with Sayla's umbrella to remind him of the incident. This last time had triggered when Zero came to retrieve Fenn so that the girls could cook 200 riceballs for the Daishogun; Keiko and Sayla barely noticed him. Aleda glanced at Zero worriedly, but with a twinge of personal pain. She could think of no other reason for Zero's reaction to losing "Princess" Sayla's attention than that the Knight Gundam was infatuated with her. _Of course, what did I expect?_ Aleda said to herself.

Finally, Aleda sighed, released Fenn, and went over to comfort him. "Zero," she said to the statue. "It's alright. We all think you're cool." No response. "You're also pretty cute."

The statue sprung to life. "R-really?" asked a lightly blushing Zero.

"Yeah," Aleda said. "You're charming. And sweet."

_Agh, why do I blush so much?! _Zero thought as he felt his face warm up another few notches. "Th-thank you, milady." His hands itched to caress that lovely face, and the secrets of his GunSoul burned his tongue so that he almost spewed them out, but the fearful thought of Tallgeese bearing down on the sweet Gundamess, blade raised to cut through the Chosen One's weakness, reined him in.

Frantic calls from Baku cut into the warm and fuzzy moment. "Aleda! We need riceballs, now!"

Aleda's head immediately jerked up. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she gasped. "Coming, Baku!" She ran to join Keiko and Sayla in creating a meal for the Daishogun, leaving Zero staring longingly after her. As she crossed the open doorway, Aleda glanced over her wing-motifed shoulder to see Zero flying alone to a tree some distance away.

"Hurry, Aleda!" called Sayla from within the kitchen, smiling sugary-sweetly. "We have seaweed and rice all set for you!" Aleda tore her gaze from her charming knight and went inside, where it was already warm from a combination of late-spring sun and hot steam from the rice.

It took the trio almost three hours to prepare the ordered 200 riceballs…and it took Fenn five seconds to destroy them. "Oh, my!" "They've all turned black!" "Now we have no riceballs to give to Mr. Daishogun!" Nothing but a pile of black husks remained on the patio table.

Aleda's gaze wandered in a sideways glance to the kitchen, where she had hidden away a few morsels. _Those are for Zero, but should I give them to Daishogun? It's only a few, though, not nearly 200…_But, a smirk passed between Sayla and Keiko, and then between them and Aleda, and the Gundamess remembered the seven-layered cake, which relieved her guilt.

But, she worried for Fenn, whom Zero had isolated in a magic box, and Zero himself, who seemed to be in a sour mood. "Zero…?" Aleda began hesitantly, as she cautiously approached him. "When are you going to let him out?" She gestured to the wobbling box. "It's been ten minutes."

"Not until he quiets down," Zero stated with finality.

"But…"

"That is final."

Aleda bowed her head in defeat. _Should I give him the riceballs right now? _she wondered. _It might cheer him up…?_

Before she could think of retrieving them, however, a Pawn Leo attempted to steal Fenn, and the Gundam Force had to scuffle with him. Zero released Fenn from the box so that the little Spirit could escape.

"Fenn, are you okay?" Zero asked. Fenn darted to his "daddy" and nuzzled him in the GunSoul. "Good boy." Then, Zero yelled down at the trembling Pawn Leo, "Fiend! How dare you scare my precious Fenn!"

Aleda, positioned beside Baku, motioned to Fenn. "Come here, Fenn," she cooed, "Let's get out of Zero's way."

Fenn flew down to her as Zero shouted, "Let's see how you like this!" The knight unleashed another shockwave on the retreating Pawn Leo, and the attack quickly overtook him. The Lacroan Crescent slammed into him, and to Aleda's shock the robot turned into a harmless die.

"Zero! I wanted to do thaa-aat!" Baku whined, dancing in irritation with his blades drawn.

But Zero ignored him in favor of Fenn, who returned to the knight sobbing. "Fenn, I'm glad you're safe, little one," Zero said softly. "I want you to grow up into someone who's decent, Fenn. When I'm hard on you, it means I care." He pulled Fenn back in for another hug.

"Aw," Shute cooed.

Suddenly, Fenn let out a squeal and doubled in size. "Huh?!" Zero and Shute said in shock. Everyone else just stared. Then Fenn inflated again. "Wah?!"

"I-I've heard of this," Zero said, wide-eyed, as Fenn continued to quadruple and quintuple in size. "There is a Spirit that grows exponentially when it feels deep affection. Woah—!" Fenn's size increased so much that he completely smothered Zero.

"I guess Fenn is that Spirit," Shute astutely observed. Fenn purred down at them with now-deeper contented growls.

"Zero?!" Aleda gasped in concern. The only thing visible of him was his legs, and those were barely twitching. "Zero, are you alright?" Aleda bent down to him.

"Mm fnn," Zero's muffled voice came to her.

"You don't seem fine. Hold on, I'll get you out of there," she said, and began to pull on one leg. "Fenn, could you get up, please? You're squashing Zero."

"Mno, ownt pfull!" Zero protested.

She continued to struggle with the mass of fluff while Entengo distracted the others with a message from the Daishogun. "Zero, are you still breathing?"

"Wwss."

"What should I do? Fenn! Fenn, you need to get off!"

"Ffleasnnttrbleurself, mmlezy. Uhm, Thute? Caftain?! Uh, hewooooooh?!"

Captain twisted his torso 180 degrees. "Oh. You seem to be in a predicament, Zero," he observed calmly, turning the rest of himself so he could walk over and help his friend. Captain bent down low and steeled himself. "I'll lift Fenn, and you pull Zero out. Okay?" he said to Aleda.

"Yeah. Ready."

"Then, up—!" Captain grunted as he pushed aside a few rolls of Fenn's baby fat. Aleda quickly dragged Zero out from underneath, and then Captain let Fenn go, again. All the while, Fenn watched curiously without moving.

Even after being freed, Zero still lay on the ground as if dazed. "Thank…you…milady… Although you think…you could have been…gentler?" he said weakly to Aleda.

"Sorry." Aleda winced.

"It's... alright..." he groaned.

The Gundam Force returned to Shute's house, towing along their now-giant fuzzball. "What are we going to do with him?" Shute said in despair, watching Fenn flatten his mother's lawn.

Zero floated next to Fenn, instructing him and keeping him calm. "Don't come any closer to the house, Fenn. We can't have you smashing Lady Keiko's labors to pieces, now can we?" Fenn moaned sadly. "I know, Fenn, but this is part of what it means to grow up. You've become too big for certain things."

"Zero?"

"Hm?" Zero wheeled to see Aleda approaching with a plate of five riceballs. "Milady?"

"Um…" Aleda began shyly. "These are for you," she said, offering the plate to him.

"These are for me?" Zero said in amazement. Aleda nodded, with pink dusting the top of her mouthguard. "Milady… you shouldn't have. I, um, I don't know what to say." His own face reddened.

"I wanted to thank you for everything. You've taken a lot of time to teach me about Lacroa and magic, even though you have a lot of things to worry about."

"It is no trouble. I've always been happy to help you."

"You'll take them?"

"Of course, milady, gladly," Zero said, taking the plate from her hands. Joy reflected off every facet of her emerald eyes and bounced straight through his blues and into his GunSoul. _Oh, Mana, what cruelty is this? _Zero thought in wonder.

"Zero!"

Both Lacroans faced the voice: Baku. "Where did you get all those riceballs?! I want some!" He bounded down the steps. Shute also stared at the riceballs in dismay.

Zero smirked and backed up slightly in preparation for a little game of evasion. "Too bad, Bakunetsumaru. These are a gift from Lady Aleda, so I have no right to give you any."

"Not fair! Why does Zero get all the food from the girls?" Shute whined.

"Not all of the food. The Daishogun received cake from your mother and Sayla," Captain pointed out. Baku chased Zero around Fenn, as the knight nonchalantly munched on a riceball.

"I guess. But still, Zero gets _most_ of the food," Shute reiterated.

And Zero quite enjoyed it. He relished the sticky, rich taste, thinking all the while of what the silly samurai chasing him had said a mere three days ago: _"Riceballs contain the love and friendship of the person who made them." _In spite of himself, happiness welled in him at the hope of what such delicious, satisfying food could mean.

After Zero finished his riceballs, the Gundam Force began to seriously consider the task of housing Fenn. "He can't stay here," Shute said regretfully.

"And he can't stay at White Base, either," Captain said, frowning with his new expressions program.

"Then we will just have to find him a new home," Zero said.

"But, where do we look?" Baku said.

"Out in the wilderness, where there is space," Zero stated.

It was decided that they should venture into the fields and woods in search of a new home for Fenn. Aleda wanted to come along, but Keiko and Sayla needed her help cleaning up in the kitchen. She began to work on the dishes in the sink, until a shadow fell over her. The Gundamess looked up to see Zero in the window. "We will return soon, milady," he said with a soft smile.

Aleda giggled at this surprise farewell in the window. "I know. Be safe."

Zero nodded. "We will." Then he floated away, leaving Aleda to her work.

After a while, though, Aleda paused, feeling a strong buzz in her data processor. _What is it? It's very strong magic. Zero? _She rose closer to the window and peered out. Nothing. She flew through the open doorway and veered around to the other side of the house to behold a sharp red and purple glow in the distance. _A magic circle. But it's not Zero's. _Aleda creased her eyebrows in worry. The wide magic circle had a sinister air about it. _Why do I have a feeling we have bad company? _She flew towards the light as quickly as she could.

"Zero?!" she called. "Fenn?! Baku?! Captain? Shute!" She heard no reply.

Aleda arrived at the magic circle to find two things: the remains of what had been a large green, insect-winged creature, and a whole curtain of the menacing light pouring out of the circle to form an enormous dome shape formed of magic. She kneeled by the green scrap briefly to inspect it and to brush her finger along the smooth seam where it had been cut in half. _Zero_'_s_ _Lacroan_ _Crescent? It's one cut, and Baku uses two swords._

Then, she turned to the glowing dome of magic. "What is this?" she wondered. She reached out hesitantly to touch it, only to have a spark jolt her. "Ow," she muttered, rubbing her hand. Then she returned her attention to the dome. "Zero! Are you in there?! Bakuuu!" No reply. _What should I do? _she wondered.

The magic aura began to tremble. Aleda fluttered back, and flames gathered around her hands. The field's quake increased, shaking the surrounding ground. Aleda, feeling her hands tingle, noticed the fire, and she raised and stoked them in preparation for whatever would emerge.

…

Zero plunged into the draining tube of magic energy. Dark purples and reds swirled around him hungrily, as if waiting for the right moment to engulf him. And the Knight of Silver Wings did not doubt that they soon would.

His feathered wings jerked him to a stop, poised above the hole in the Magic Square of Darkness, and he flipped over so he was facing his friends clinging to a precariously tipping surface above. "Oh, Mana!" Zero's magic circle flared to life behind him. "Protect the others, though it may cost me my life." _I've lost too much to also lose these friends. _

A beam of white light shot out of his GunSoul and enveloped the two Gundams and one human boy, before fading to leave a golden globe of light that suspended them in the air.

"Zero!" Shute cried in distress.

"Come back, Zero!" Baku called.

"Fear not, my friends! We shall all meet once again, if that is what destiny decrees!" Zero's magic circle faded out of existence, leaving the Lacroan knight to plunge down into the suction, drained of magical energy. _If I am to die…then maybe she will be the one to save Lacroa…Will she miss me? _ Whiteness filled his vision.

…

Aleda flinched as a column of white light shot out from the top of the magic aura. The ground stopped shaking. Shute's voice met her audio receptors from the new opening. Then Zero's: "Fenn! Nooooo!"

When the light died down again, the Gundamess uncovered her face to behold her friends standing on solid ground, intact. At least, physically.

Bakunetsumaru plopped to the grass and cried. "Poor Fenn!"

Aleda's GunSoul froze, and the flames in her hands died. What had happened to sweet little Fenn that made Baku shed tears?

"Aw, don't worry, Bakunetsumaru…" Shute began.

Aleda looked to Zero, who watched Baku's display with glazed eyes. "Zero," she began timidly, approaching him, "What happened?"

Zero's gaze dropped. "Fenn…is far from us, now…"

"What?! What do you mean?!"

"You remember when I mentioned Tallgeese?"

"Yes."

"That fiend attacked us, today, and trapped us in that Magic Square of Darkness that you likely saw. With him were his two minions, Mercurius and Vayeate, whom he freed from imprisonment deep in Lacroa's Dark Hole. They were overpowering us until my precious Fenn revealed himself to be the Feather Dragon. He transformed right before our eyes…" Zero paused to digest the revelation, before continuing, "Tallgeese and his followers were defeated, but the battle opened a crack in the Magic Square, and all was drawn down into oblivion, or who-knows-where. We would have been sucked in, as well, but Fenn used his energy to save us…" Zero trailed off, his eyes watering.

Aleda was afraid to say it. "He's…He's dead?"

Zero shook his head. "No, no, milady! He is not dead. But, he is lost somewhere we don't know…"

"Well…maybe we can find him later," Aleda said hopefully.

"Perhaps…" Zero turned away. Aleda reached a hand toward his shoulder, hesitated, and, finally, she left him to his privacy and went to join Shute in consoling their Arkian friend.

Something caught Zero's eye and he looked up to see a single white feather floating down. He held out his hand and caught it. For a moment he stared at it, before saying softly, "Fenn." Then the feather glowed, gently lifted into the air as if carried by a stray breeze, and floated into his GunSoul to merge with the Winged Knight.

…

"Please, Zero—!"

"No, milady, I cannot permit this."

"But, Zero!" Aleda pleaded. "I feel helpless, just staying behind and waiting!"

The two Lacroans argued in the middle of the hallway at White Base, which was, thankfully, empty of any spectators.

"I want to help fight the Dark Axis. People died to protect me from them, and the Dark Axis took Fenn! I can't watch this happen, anymore!" Aleda persisted. "Please, teach me!"

Zero faced away, eyes downcast. Aleda tried to float around to see him eye-to-eye, but when he snapped up his gaze, the Gundamess halted in surprise. Tears. In Zero's eyes. For Baku it was one thing, but for Zero…

"And what good will it do if you learn to fight?" the Knight Gundam said wearily. "Will it make you any less helpless? Pray tell, Lady Aleda, what can you say my fighting skills have done for me? I have failed time and again to defend what I hold dear."

"Zero…" She inched back, uncertain how to approach him.

"They've taken my fair Lacroa, my princess whom I swore to protect with my life, my friends and compatriot knights…and now Fenn—!" Zero shuddered with a sob. "I have lost nearly everything." He clenched his fists in an ineffective effort to stem the stream welling from his eyes. "I cannot lose you, too! I will not let you fight!" Tears trickled down his fierce face.

Aleda, hesitantly at first, wrapped her arms around him and held him as her own eyes leaked noiselessly.

"M-milady," Zero choked. He returned the embrace, clutching her tightly, protectively, as though surrounded by enemies that would steal her away right then and there. "Aleda… Aleda…" he wheezed in pain. "Aleda, I…"

She squeezed him and touched a hand consolingly to his helmet's wing-decal, which quieted him aside from the sobs that shook him.

They stayed that way for several minutes, until Zero could take even breaths and the reserve of liquids behind his eyes had depleted. Finally—reluctantly—Zero released her. "I apologize, milady, for my outburst." He rubbed his eyescreens to wipe away the tears. "I just…I can't… I cannot risk it."

"It's okay," Aleda said regretfully. "You're right. I'd probably be more of a liability." Her eyes sinking to the ground, she said, "I'm sorry for asking that from you. You've been through a lot, and you've already done more than enough for me."

"I'm sorry, my lady. Ask anything else of me, and I'll gladly give it to you, but not that."

Aleda forced her frown into the shape of a sweet smile. "Then, could you ask me for something?"

"Huh?" Zero blinked in surprise.

The smile reached her eyes. "I want to make you feel better. What would you like me to do?"

"Your company, alone, lifts my spirits, Lady Aleda," Zero said, tenderness leaking into his blue eyes.

Aleda's GunSoul sputtered. "Then, let's go find somewhere where we can just talk by ourselves," she said.

Zero nodded. "I wouldn't mind."

Aleda took his hand. "Let's go outside."

Feelings of uselessness suppressed the warmth from Aleda's palm, but a trace still reached Zero, and, in spite of a little voice in his CPU whispering that the Dark Axis might spy them holding hands, he held on to this little ray of hope and allowed her to guide him. She led him to the rural sprawl around Neotopia and landed them under a tree.

"Here." She sat down under the leaves and pat the space beside her. "No one can see us."

Zero sank down, a little more heavily than usual, next to his lady. After a quiet pause, he said, "I wandered in places like these during my two years alone."

"In the woods?"

He nodded.

"By yourself?"

Another numb nod.

"I'm sorry," Aleda said regretfully.

"I survived."

"You have us, now," the Gundamess reminded him.

The knight's eyescreens grew hazy and dim. "Thank you, milady. I…think I need to rest…" Zero wearily laid his head on her shoulderguard, and Aleda turned beet red. The Winged Knight grew slightly heavier, and when she looked over next, his eyescreens had darkened. "Zero?" she whispered softly. No response. His emotional exhaustion had drained him. Aleda leaned against his helmet, warm from helm to podiatric unit.

After a few minutes, Zero jolted, and his eyescreens flickered on fuzzily. "Wh-wha...?"

Aleda lightly touched his arm to reassure him. "You're with me, Zero."

"Oh..." he said woozily. Zero sank into her shoulder, again, and soon he had returned to dozing, consoled by her cinnamon-tinged scent.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Poor Zero and Fenn :( I remember watching that episode and thinking, Wow, Zero was the one with the biggest loss, but everyone's consoling Baku. I thought Zero might need a bit more than that before he could get over it. He likes to keep everything to himself, that stubborn knight. Did Zero's feelings and reactions make sense and feel in-character?

I'm sorry if I disappointed you when I skipped over Baku's first major arc. It was important to the show but not so much for this fic, so I chose to be efficient. Baku will get more moments to shine, though, I promise. Eventually, this fic delves more into his backstory. He's got a lot of amusing, intense, cute, and important roles to play, so hang tight.

Also, how do you feel about the lore I added concerning synchronizing/GunSoul powering? That glow thing popped up in my head as I was thinking of a way to make that scene more important and fluffy at the same time, and I decided to give it a whirl. This, of course, means that I'll have to alter later fluff scenes to match, but I think it would be worth it. _*Spoilers*_ That little lore insert also accounts for Zero and Baku's GunSouls glowing for that final punch against the General. _*End Spoilers*_

I'd like suggestions for how Titan's story should play out. Please give me some plot bunnies in the reviews or by PM.

In other news, I have a one-shot coming up for this fic's continuity. It was a bit of fluff I had in the original Little Wing but cut in this version because it felt too much like filler. People can still get a kick out of it, though, and my bff back then said she really liked it, so I'm tweaking the passage and posting it as a one-shot . Keep an eye out for it! ;)

I really appreciate reviews. I like to know if people think my ideas are any good and if they're excited to read more of this story. :) So, let me know how I did! Please review!

-Penelopi


	12. I Want Her to Fly

**Author's Notes**

Another, already! This one is of about an average length, it has a lot of old writing I worked from, and I had the help of Titanic X, so I was able to get this one up relatively quickly. Next chapter will probably take longer because I don't have a first draft finished, yet, but I'll try to get it up as soon as I can.

We get an inkling of a new OC, this chapter, so you can look forward to that. :) This chapter also has a bit of the song "Little Wing" in it, but since I'm not much of a fan of songfics, it's only a part of the song.

Oh, and lolz to the Heero Yuy comment. Someone's a jokester ;)

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is produced and owned by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs are only Aleda, Titan, and Myles. (It will be very interesting as this list grows…)

The song lyrics sampled in this chapter are from the song "Little Wing," specifically the rendition done by The Corrs. The original lyrics and song were written by Jimi Hendrix; the song has been performed and recorded by many artists since.

* * *

**Chapter 12: I Want Her to Fly**

A few hours later, Aleda opened her sketchbook on the desk table in the corner of her room to unwind her tumultuous emotions. "Today's been a long day," she sighed to herself. She closed her eyes against tears threatening to spill once more, like a stitched wound that was reopening. "Poor Fenn…And Zero…"

Aleda knew the Knight Gundam was suffering, but she had little idea how to help him. She, herself, had even brought out a pained response from him. Perhaps she was more of a burden than a help. But, no. He obviously preferred her company to her absence. His words echoed in her mind: _"I cannot lose you, too!" _

_I hope I can help Zero feel better, _Aleda thought. She promised herself to remain by her knight's side, giving him all the aid she could, even if the only thing she could do was be there to share his pain.

…

Captain and Bakunetsumaru silently sat in the lounge area, on the couches in front of the blank T.V. screen. Rather than watch something, the two Gundams had been discussing the chances of finding Fenn. Captain maintained that the odds would rise considerably once Bell Wood's transporter was up and running again, but Baku could not help but silently wonder how much of that statistical probability was influenced by Captain's hope. They had fallen quiet after some time of trying to raise their spirits.

Zero floated into the room and wordlessly sat himself on the third couch.

After several minutes, Baku spoke, "I'm sorry, Zero."

Knowing instinctively what the samurai was addressing, Zero sighed. "I do not wish to speak of Fenn right now."

Baku dropped his gaze before asking, "Then how's Aleda?"

"She insists that she wishes to learn the art of fighting. She seems to feel guilty that she couldn't help Fenn…"

Baku blinked in surprise. "Really? What did you say?"

"No."

"No?! Why not?"

Zero shook his head regretfully. "I cannot allow her to go into battle. Our enemies are growing too strong for even us, and she is inexperienced."

"Training does not entail immediate battle experience," Captain said.

"Yes, but I know she'll leap in the moment she finds an opportunity. She'll overestimate her skills and find herself in danger," Zero said.

"So, she took a 'no'?" Baku asked.

Zero looked down guiltily. "No… We argued. For several minutes."

"You'd better hope she doesn't take it personally," Baku stated.

Zero sighed.

"Everything will turn out fine," Captain said, smiling brightly with his new emotional eyescreen expressions. "We will find Fenn and save Lacroa—and Ark."

"How are you so sure?" Baku asked.

"Because we must. Zero is the Savior of Lacroa, remember? And the Feather Dragon chose him to lend his power to, proving that Zero is the Chosen One."

Zero looked down again. "Some hero I've turned out to be." Then, "Sorry. I think I need some fresh air." He rose, and Baku and Captain watched him sadly as he floated off, hiding the pain in his eyes beneath his helmet's shadow.

…

An hour later, Zero was drifting through the halls, staring at the ground with his mind elsewhere, when Guneagle came walking by. "Hey, Zero, what's up?" the Neotopian greeted. But, the Knight Gundam's somber expression answered his own question. "Still thinking about Fenn, huh? I'm sorry about what happened. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No…Er, well…" Zero suddenly perked up.

"Yeah?"

"That contraption you have…" Zero began, his digital eyebrows scrunching together as he wracked his processor. "The magic music box…?"

Guneagle's eyescreens brightened. "Oh, my iPod? You wanna borrow it?"

"Yes, if that is alright with you."

"Yeah, sure." Guneagle fished the iPod Touch from who-knows-where and handed it to Zero. "Just give it back to me tomorrow. I can't go for a day without my music."

"Thank you."

"No prob, bro."

The fliers parted ways, Zero heading for his room. Pain jabbed him when he entered the darkened bedroom and no fuzzy little Spirit greeted him. _It was only this morning that Fenn purred in my face to wake me_, Zero thought sadly.

He removed his helmet, exposing the natural, mesh-like texture that covered his head, slid the iPod's earpieces into his audios, and sat on his bed. He scrolled through the menus on the touch screen to search for a particular tune. "There are so many on this thing," he complained when two minutes had passed without reaching the Ls. Finally, he came across "Little Wing" by The Corrs. _Not exactly the version she mentioned, but this one should do. _He selected it and leaned back on the backboard to his bed as the tune funneled into his audio third verse caught his attention:

_ When I'm sad she comes to me_

_ With a thousand smiles_

_ She gives to me free._

_ It's all right, it's all right she says_

_ Take anythin' you want from me_

_ Anything…_

_That really does sound like her_, Zero thought with a small smirk. _Her family knows how to give nicknames. _He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift with the music as it entered the instrumental section. The woodwind ensemble eventually gave way to the verses, the same as before, but there was an extra line added to the end that stirred the knight's GunSoul.

_Fly, little wing! Yeah_

_ I want her to fly…_

_I do, too_, Zero thought wistfully. He sighed. _Perhaps I could teach her to defend herself, at least…_

…

The next morning, when Zero sat himself at breakfast, Aleda glanced furtively at him from the stove where she was scrambling eggs. Zero, seeing her gaze, gave her a smile. Aleda blushed, smiled briefly, and looked away. After a few minutes more, and a quick dive in the fridge, the Gundamess carried a plate of deviled eggs to him.

"Good morning, milady," Zero said.

"Good morning, Zero." Aleda set the eggs before him. "I'll bring you waffles soon… Um…"

"Yes, milady?"

"Are we still practicing magic, today?"

"Yes. That is, unless you aren't feeling—"

"No, I'm fine. Just making sure." She flashed a grin, turned, and fluttered back to work. _He's not mad at me for asking him to teach me how to fight, _she thought happily.

…

"Now, Lady Aleda, follow my lead." Zero held his hand in the air. "Oh, Mana! Grant your powers to me!" The knight's familiar magic circle formed above. "Give my fighting spirit the form of a blade!" His shield and sword descended. Zero gripped the shield and pulled his sword out, a resounding shing echoing off the walls. He turned to Aleda. "Go ahead, milady."

Aleda blinked in astonishment. "What?"

"Do as I have."

"But you…summoned your sword."

"Yes," Zero stated patiently.

Aleda's face brightened. "You mean...?"

A smile broke out on Zero's face. "Aye, milady, I will teach you the way of the sword."

"Thank you so much!" Aleda jumped forward as if to hug him, but the knight quickly backed away.

"Wait, milady!" he said in alarm. "Not while a blade is unsheathed. There'll be time for thanks later."

Aleda halted. "Sorry!"

"No harm done. Now summon your own blade. Ask Mana, and you shall be given a weapon suited to you."

Aleda nodded and raised her hand. "Oh, Mana! Please give me a weapon, to let me protect my friends!" A blue magic circle appeared, and the Lacroans watched intently as a gold, wavy, decorated hilt emerged first, followed by a thin white blade. Aleda caught it as it descended down; it fit perfectly in her small hand.

She held it up, and Zero inspected it curiously but without touching it. "It indeed suits you," he said admiringly. "A charming little rapier."

"Oh, so that's what it is," Aleda said, gazing at it in awe.

Zero chuckled. "Yes, it's no broadsword. I am not as familiar with rapiers, but I'll teach you what I can."

"Sorry it's not what you expected."

"No, no, milady. I was not expecting anything in particular. A rapier is welcome. Now—" he said, crouching into a fighting stance, "show me what you know."

"I don't know anything about fighting."

Zero shrugged. "Just try."

Aleda lunged, swinging her sword to strike, and was met by Zero's shield. Zero laughed. "You are right. You know nothing of a sword, or at least not a rapier."

"Now, you're just teasing me," Aleda pouted.

"Sorry," he said, trying to suppress his chuckles. "I meant nothing by it. Milady, the rapier's strength is its thrust. Its swinging strength is negligible. Remember that."

"Okay."

"And—" Sheathing his sword, Zero walked over to Aleda and set down his shield. "—you hold it this way," he said, taking her hand and shifting its position on the hilt. He curled his fingers around hers to settle them in properly. Aleda's cheeks flushed from the touch. "Now you shall learn the proper fighting stance…"

…

A mobile citizen walked into his station, a personal space in the basement set aside, like the rows of stations adjacent to his, by low walls on three sides. The cubicle contained a dresser for personal belongings and for desk work, a chair, and a recharge station. "Myles" was engraved on the edge of the desk. Like most mobile citizens, Myles lived at the place he worked. He could choose to download new software and find another job if he wished, but, being a mobile citizen with no need for anything but friends and a place to rest, he had no need for an actual house or apartment.

Myles reviewed his internal calendar as he seated himself at the modest desk-dresser. He had just returned from a systems-test appointment and had been deemed fully functional. In an hour, the daycare children would be sent home, and he would go to his first after-school tutor location, the Bakers', followed by the Nguyens' and then the Krishnas'. The next day was the Vaughns' Via.

The mobile citizen turned his visual receptors to a framed picture on the dresser. Leaf patterns had been etched into the metal frame for decoration. Eight humans and a robot huddled within its edges, smiling at him. He zoomed in on the robot, who was slimmer than other mobile citizens, was edged with gold, who had odd golden ridges curving back over the head, and who had unusually human green eyes. The mouthguard was missing, revealing a wide, sweet smile on a noseless face. _They say they've heard from her, but they don't know where she's staying. I wonder what happened? _he thought anxiously.

No one could tell from his unexpressive face that it was warming at the sight of the little winged robot, nor that his internal energy core hummed louder than normal. A mix of concern and affection disturbed his energy tank. He lightly touched a metal finger to the female robot's face. "Ally, is this how you felt?" he asked softly.

…

Aleda sank to her knees once in the confines of her own room. _That was exhausting_, she thought. _And I have to do it again, tomorrow. But I can't give up now. I have to do this so I can help Zero. I'll get used to it._

Out of nowhere, a beeping came from Aleda's helmet, causing her to jump a little. _My communicator_, she realized. _I haven't called Dad back, yet, about the secret! _She rose to her feet as she answered "Hello?"

_"Aleda, it's me."_

"Hi, Dad, how are you?" Aleda asked as she planted herself on her bed.

_"I'm doing very well. How about you? Is everything alright?" _

"I'm doing great, Dad," she replied, her grin seeping into her voice. But then her face and tone fell as she remembered the events of the day before. "Well…I have been, overall. Yesterday was pretty bad."

_"What happened?"_

_"James, is that Aleda on the phone?!"_ another voice, a woman's, chimed in from the other end. _"Where is she?!" _

_"She hasn't told me, yet." _

"Hi, Mom. I'm in Neotopia, with some friends in high places," Aleda said with a laugh at her joke.

_"I want to talk to her. James, can't you give me the phone?"_

_"I can put it on speakerphone."_ A beep. _"There." _

"_Aleda, where exactly are you? We noticed that you're not staying at the Smiths', anymore. Can we know the names of the people you're staying with? Or even better, a street address?"_ Aleda's Mom begged.

_What do I tell her?_ Aleda wondered. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I…I'm with the police," she said.

"_The police?!"_ Mary gasped.

"_You haven't done anything wrong, have you?"_ James asked in concern.

"No, nothing like that! I'm living here, in a nice room, with a cozy bed, and even my own little bathroom."

"_Well…that's nice,"_ Mary said, surprised. _"But, what happened?"_

"Well, I'm, um... I said the police, but really I'm with a secret intelligence agency, actually. It's kinda like the police," Aleda said. "But, its operations are too sensitive, so I can't tell you exactly where it is. The way I got here was… Um…They found me near a dimensional portal. We were both studying it, and when I told them my story, they decided it would be good for all of us if I came with them, so they could study me to see if I have any non-Neotopian energy readings or something that could help them. I told the Smiths I was leaving, and I came here."

"_I can't believe you told them," _James sighed. _"T__heir research isn't too invasive, right?"_ he inquired.

"No, it's not invasive at all. Just a few scans here and there. The rest of the time, I get to hang out or cook for them. I've made a lot of new friends here."

"_Well, that's good,"_ Mary said, her voice calming. _"What are their names? That is, if you can tell us." _

"I don't think I can, sorry," Aleda apologized. "But, they're really nice. One of the guys even started teaching me self-defense, today."

_"Good, good," _James said. Aleda could picture him nodding to himself with a satisfied grin. _"That's handy. It makes me feel better about you being on your own, too." _

"_Have they been able to find out anything new about where you come from?"_ Mary said.

"Yeah." Aleda bit her lip, wondering how to best phrase it. On the other end, her parents waited silently for more.

Finally, Mary asked, _"Honey, are you okay? You got kind of quiet."_

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine, it's just…there's something important I have to tell you."

"_We're listening. Fire away,"_ James said.

Aleda took a deep breath. "I found out where I'm from. It's a country called Lacroa, in another dimension. It resembles medieval Europe a little, but there are two moons there and lots of robots like me, both male and female—if that makes any sense. The people there use magic, apparently. It's something that seems to let us manipulate space, matter, and energy. That's how I made Ginger and all those other things disappear and reappear, and it's also how I fly."

"_Well…that explains it a bit,"_ James said.

"_Aleda, are you sure this Lacroa is where you came from?" _Mary said.

"Yeah, I'm sure. The person who told me is from Lacroa, and he's a knight." Aleda's voice softened as she thought of his kind smile and handsome blue eyes. "He knows my pendant. He has the same symbol."

_"Oh! So, I guess you tracked down the symbol in the picture!" _her mother said.

"Oh. Yeah," Aleda said with an exaggerated smile that her parents couldn't see. _I forgot about that lie. _

_"That's great!" _

"Yeah. This person's been teaching me about Lacroa. He's even been giving me lessons for advanced magic spells, and today he started teaching me how to defend myself."

"_Well…that's sweet of him," _Mary said. Then, tentatively, _"Little Wing, what are you going to do, now that you know you're from Lacroa?" _

"That person is stuck here, for now, but once another gate opens up, he'll show me around a bit," Aleda said. "He says that... robots like me have mates and progenitors... so I wanted to at least find out who mine are." She stopped uncertainly, wondering if she had just wounded the only family she knew.

_"That sounds exciting. Will you come back, after?" _James asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'd miss you," Aleda said.

_"That's good, then." _

There was a moment of quiet. At last, Aleda's father said, _"Well, it sounds like you've done well for yourself." _

"I have," Aleda answered, softly. "I'm happy here."

"_Then, keep up the good work,"_ her father said.

"Thank you," Aleda said.

"_We have to go, Little Wing. See you later! We love you!"_ Mary said.

"I love you all, too."

"_Come for a visit sometime, and feel free to bring your friends with you,"_ James said.

"Thanks. I'll try."

"_Okay, see you." _

"See you! Goodbye!" A click announced that the line was closed.

Aleda pondered the conversation. _"Feel free to bring your friends," hm? _she thought. _He probably wants to see Zero. _She giggled at the thought of her overprotective father.

"Well, what to do now?" Aleda finally said out loud to herself. Then, "Hm. I know…" She floated over to her dresser and pulled open a drawer to reveal a small sketch pad, some mechanical pencils, and a few erasers. Then she pulled the chair up to her table and flipped the sketch pad open. There was a variety of drawings, many unfinished: a bird in flight, which Aleda had once seen outside her window; a boy playing ball with a mobile citizen in the park; Baku chasing Zero as the knight took a bite from a riceball; Fenn nuzzled up against Zero; Guneagle and Zero having a race; Captain and Shute playing chess, with Shute grabbing his hair in frustration; a scene of all the Gundam Force members, including Aleda, relaxing in Shute's backyard; and the newest one, Zero swiping his sword in a dramatic pose with sharp perspective, although with his armor still lacking many of the finer details and decorations.

Aleda flipped to a blank page and paused for a minute, thinking. Then, her pencil finally met the paper and started to draw a rough outline. Soon, it took the form of a Gundam with a Romanesque helmet and a cape, carrying a smaller, winged Gundamess. Two pairs of eyes took shape, and they gazed at each other. _I don't think I can do his eyes justice_, Aleda sighed.

She added the background: the residential hallway of White Base. She smiled at the memories as she gazed at her knight's 2D eyes.

Another hour, and Aleda was nearly finished with the line art. She only had to add a few decorative do-dads on Zero's armor (_He has so much on him, probably from going up in rank or something_, Aleda guessed.) and apply shading. But her mind trailed off to how the Knight Gundam had smiled at her at breakfast that morning, and that reminded her of her cooking, and that reminded her of the food that needed restocking. _Oh, no! I still have to go out and buy more groceries! _She flipped her sketch book closed and dropped her art supplies into the dresser drawer before slipping out of the room.

…

A large screen in Kao Lyn's lab played security footage from the base's roof that had been recorded five days ago. _"Zero, what...?" "I-I'll see you at dinner!" _Their normally composed knight fled through the sky, leaving a stunned Lady Gundamess behind.

"Well? What do you think it is?" Chief Haro asked Kao Lyn.

"I have a couple of theories," Kao Lyn answered. "If the peculiarities of Captain Gundam's Soul Drive activation are also shared by the GunSoul I modeled it from, then it could be a synchronization of sorts. Matching thoughts and feelings could allow them to give each other a power surge. On the other hand..."

"What is it?"

Kao Lyn scratched his head and apologetically smiled. "It could be that their frames were preparing to... er, connect."

Chief Haro jumped. "Are you sure?!"

"No idea. It could even be both. Whatever it was, Zero knew what it meant. We can't know for sure until we ask either him or Bakunetsumaru."

…

"How's it going with the little lady?"

Zero, sitting on the couch in the lounge, looked up from the _Anthology of Modern and Ancient Magic _and huffed at the grinning Musha Gundam. "It's going fine."

"Is she learning fast?"

"She's learning well enough." Zero returned his eyes to his book.

"Maybe you won't have to worry about her so much when she can defend herself."

"Hm."

"Zerooooo," Baku groaned, donking him lightly on the helmet. "It's okay. She'll be fine if you're with her."

Zero glared irritably. "She is fine as she is. And I am fine as I am."

"Come on, Zero!" Baku whined. "What if someone else takes her?"

"What do you mean?"

"In White Base, there are _two _resident fly-boy flirts," Baku reminded him with a smirk.

Zero scowled, and his fingers dug into the leather binding of the spell book.

"I know he's not the most careful guy, either," Baku said. "Would she be any safer with him?"

"Better the Three Stooges to be after her than the Knight of the Tempest," Zero said stubbornly.

"Wow." Baku crossed his arms. "I didn't know you were this pig-headed."

"Not as pig-headed as the snotty samurai who sticks his nose into others' business."

"Come on, Zero!"

"Or what? Will _you _steal her away?"

Baku waved a hand dismissively. "No thanks. Shy and quiet isn't my type." He raised his chin. "If I were interested, I'd have made my move, already. We samurai don't run away from our feelings."

Zero rolled his eyes. "Certainly. And I'm sure you had Gundamesses eating from your hand back in Ark."

"What? You don't think I could get a girl?"

"If your barbaric, unartful swordsmanship is any indication of your tact with women, then I highly doubt it."

Steam spouted from the Blazing Samurai's face vents and helmet. "Do you want a fight, Flower Knight?"

Zero smirked. "I'll be glad to, _Baka_netsumaru, as soon as I return to White Base."

Baku's eyes cooled down. "Are you going somewhere?"

The knight closed his tome and said, grimly, "Titan hasn't contacted the SDG for a week. We were worried that he was heading straight for a trap, and now we fear the silence is an ill omen. I'm going to search for him."

"I'll come, too," Baku said.

"I'm afraid that only I and a Gunperry of GMs have been authorized for the mission," Zero said. "Chief Haro does not want to empty White Base to search for one Gundam."

Baku grumbled, "I guess that's reasonable. Just don't disappear, okay?"

The Winged Knight smirked. "I'd never be caught in a trap laid by those simpletons."

Suddenly, Baku perked up. "Hey, I bet Aleda would be really happy if you gave her a goodbye kiss before you left!"

Zero snapped his fingers, and roses sprouted on Baku's arms. "Agh!" Baku yelped with a jolt. "Zero! Cut it out!"

Zero chuckled and darted for the door. "Hey, come back! Get these off of me!" Baku shouted as he gave chase.

…

Aleda packed a flat container of deviled eggs into a chilled lunch box. Worry wrinkled her eyebrows and pressed down her lips. Her precious knight had told her that morning that he would be leaving later in the day to search for Titan. _"I am sorry to leave so suddenly, just when I'd begun teaching you to fight, milady," _Zero had said. _"I promise to resume instruction once I return. In the meantime, will you practice your magic and swordsmanship on your own?" _

She had nodded in reply, but asked, _"What do you think happened?" _

_"It could be that Titan found his master outside of our communication range," _Zero had said reassuringly. _"Either way, we will all return safely." _

Aleda zipped the blue lunchbox closed. Even if she could not participate in the mission, making a meal for her knight, at least, she could do. She slung the lunchbox's strap over her shoulder and glided out the kitchen door to meet Zero at the hangars.

On the way, she passed Guneagle, who waved. "Hey, babe! Are you gonna tell me your secret, now?"

Aleda wrinkled her face. "No, I'm in a hurry—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he interjected. "I just said 'bye to him. He's got a few more minutes." Guneagle jabbed his thumb in the direction of the huge shutters at the end of the hall. "Get goin'."

"Thanks." Aleda grinned and flew to the hangar.

The Gunperry hummed in wait to depart. SDG GMs marched up its plank in rows. Captain, Shute, and Bakunetsumaru lingered near the hangar entrance, having already said their goodbyes. One Knight Gundam waited a few paces away from the Gunperry, looking out the open bay door at the sky, wondering what would await him out there. When Aleda flew in, Baku and Captain nodded, and Baku waved her on. The bubbling sound of her flight caught Zero's attention, and he turned, smiling, to his Lady.

"Thank you for seeing me off, Lady Aleda."

The Gundamess smiled, but the smile ended below her eyes, which still welled with sadness. "You're welcome. I, um, brought some deviled eggs for you." She slid the lunchbox off her shoulder and handed it to him.

"Thank you, milady," Zero said as he took the package.

"It won't last for more than four or five hours, though," Aleda confessed. "The ice pack will melt. Otherwise, I'd have made more food to take with you."

"This is more than enough," Zero said softly. "I'll have a delicious afternoon snack."

Aleda's smile widened a tad but then shrank smaller than before. "You'll be okay, right?" she asked.

Those beautiful emerald eyes made Baku's earlier suggestion in the lounge very tempting, but Zero steadied his breath to keep himself in check. "I promise, milady, that I will return unharmed."

The sweet smile returned to her face, even to her eyes. "Alright. I'll see you later, Zero..."

Zero nodded and snapped his fingers to give her another Princess rose. "Take care, lovely lady. I'll see you, soon." The moment Aleda, blushing, received her gift, Zero turned away with his hand covering his chest. As he walked towards the Gunperry, he peeked down to see a soft light fading between his fingers. _That was close, _he thought. _I hope she didn't notice. _

By the hangar entrance, Baku smirked at the gleam of light that he caught sight of. "Hey, Captain," he hissed with a nudge to the Neotopian's shoulder, "what's Zero's internal temperature?"

"61 degrees celcius. It is higher than normal, but it poses no danger to Zero's functions. Why?"

"Aw, that's cute," Baku jeered.

Shute raised an eyebrow. "What's cute?"

Aleda watched Zero walk up the ramp, his cape lightly swishing with each step. The Winged Knight turned and gave his friends a last smile—while holding the lunchbox directly in front of his GunSoul gem. "Farewell!" he called.

"'Bye, Zero!"

Baku's eyes watered. "Get going, already, you pansy!"

Zero's gaze rested on his little lady, his Little Wing, clasping the purple rose with both hands, green eyes glassy with moisture, and GunSoul glowing. Her visual receptors focused on him so intently that she didn't notice the light emitting from her heart. _Milady, forgive me for my cruelty, _he silently wished. _I can't allow myself to endanger you. _

The Gunperry ramp raised and closed his view.

…

Aleda, seated at a table on Shute's patio, puckered her lips irritably behind her mouthguard as she thumbed through the _Anthology of Modern and Ancient Magic_. All of the writing seemed to her to be unrecognizable scrawls. _Zero forgot that I can't read Lacroan, again, _she sighed to herself.

No one responded to her frustration. Shute and Captain had shut themselves away inside of Shute's workshop to tweak the boy's magnetic roller blades. Baku practiced his swings on the lawn.

_I really want to try some new spells… _Aleda bemoaned. Then, her wings perked as an idea floated to the fore of her CPU processes: _Captain was able to read Arkian when Ashuramaru challenged Baku! _An excited grin crawled up her face, and she closed the tome, rose, and zipped down the bridge towards the workshop with the book in-hand.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hm, I wonder what spells Aleda will stumble upon? XD

I sincerely apologize that Zero and Aleda didn't hug or kiss or anything before Zero went off on his mission. I had it in my mind that Aleda wouldn't be able to resist giving him a hug, but when the time came, Zero friggin' pulled the rose distraction stunt and turned around right before she got the guts to glomp him, and I said, "Zero! Aaaaaaaagh! Why?!" And he said, "Because if she hugged me, I wouldn't be able to leave!" And then I was just like QQ (I know that has other uses, but I use that for my teary/crying face.), and I let him be for now, because he did have to leave, after all. There will be lots of warm fuzzies later, though. Lots of warm fuzzies.

I gave you guys a glimpse of Myles this chap. He wasn't super-important to my first version of Little Wing—just the clichéd backstory character/competition for the love interest—but his influence slipped into Aleda's development and the story a bit more this time around. Expect to see more of him. ;)

Next chapter should be expected some time next week. Something a bit different will happen in 13. ;) I have a lot of things going on this weekend, so it's going to be a bit slower going with my writing, but I'll do my best. *guilty sideways glance that I can't insert here because of the site's formatting* This morning I also started punching out an Escaflowne fic after finishing another amazing Sunrise series yesterday (yes, for the first time), so that may have taken up some of my time, too. Sorry, guys, it's just so good! XD I'm also working on revising the first two chapters of Little Wing, because they need it. So, as you can see, I've been piling on a lot of personal writing projects, which will make this next chapter a bit slower to come than the last two. But next week, even if it's not until Friday or Saturday, I _will_ have 13 up.

Please review! I love reading your reactions!

-Penelopi


	13. Magic Muddle

**Author's Notes**

Sorry for the wait! I had so much to do this week!

Titanic X suggested this upcoming Shute-Captain-central story arc, and so I incorporated it into the various events and character development that's been going on. I hope you enjoy it :)

And before anyone asks, there's no shonen-ai or yaoi.

**Disclaimer**

Bandai and Sunrise own SD Gundam Force, and I do not. The OCs Aleda, Titan, and Myles are my creations.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Magic Muddle**

Aleda held the book open for Captain. "So, do you think you can translate it?" She, Captain, and Shute, inside Shute's cluttered workshop, huddled around a work table where a pair of silver roller blade attachments rested wheel-up amidst scattered skate design sketches.

"I have no guarantees, but I will certainly try my best," Captain said.

Shute leaned over the tome excitedly. "Awesome! I can't wait to see this spell!" he cheered.

"Thank you, Captain." Aleda beamed.

"Okay, okay, open it up! Show us!" Shute urged.

Aleda flipped the pages until she came to the one with the diagram of two people. "Here. It's this one." She pointed a white metal finger to the page.

Captain's visual sensors scanned the lines. "This passage contains significantly different features from the other text samples I have seen. Judging from the levels of sophistication and the etymological patterns, this is likely an older form of the Lacroan language. There may be some mistranslations."

"Try what you can," Aleda said.

"Alright." Captain skimmed the page, again. "'The Mind Look Spell. The spell allows two people to connect minds. Use it to find secrets. Cast it on two people.'"

"A mind-reading spell?" Shute volunteered.

"The meaning is uncertain, but that is possible," Captain said.

"That sounds so cool!" Shute said.

_I could find out the enemy's secrets, maybe, _Aleda thought. _That would be a big help to Zero and everyone. _Aloud, she asked, "How can I cast it?"

Captain returned his gaze to the diagram. "Let's see..." He glanced between Shute and Aleda. "From my understanding, the caster can can it on himself and another person, or on two other people. Who will participate?"

"Can you and I try it, Captain? It would be so cool to read your mind!" Shute piped up.

"I would be fine with that," Captain said with a nod. "What do you think, Aleda?"

"Sure."

"Okay, then place one hand on Shute and one hand on me." The three friends moved into position. "Now, there's a long spell in old Lacroan that you have to say," he said to Aleda.

"I'll repeat after you," Aleda said.

"Okay." Captain recited a long phrase that they could not understand, but Aleda repeated each syllable, closing her eyes to concentrate. Her magic circle sprouted, glowing blue, above them. Shute felt a low tingle in his body, as if he'd touched an electric outlet. Aleda echoed the next line, and he warmed. At the next recitation, he gained a feverish ache.

A blow hit Shute, though unlike most blows, it seemed to impact the whole length of his spine as well as the back of his head. Blackness inked over his vision.

Shute opened his eyes to see Aleda cradling her head. "Ow, ow..." Behind her was himself, shaking his head and then blinking. His eyebrows furrowed slightly in concern. Shute moved so that he could get his bearings, and Captain's arm came into view. "Captain," he sighed in relief, but his voice caught; his voice was deeper, and it had a familiar metallic edge to it.

Shute's face across the room frowned. "Me...?"

Shute moved his arms more, but all he saw were Captain's bulky hands in his face. "Captain? Captain?" he said, again, but that, too, sounded like Captain.

"Shute?" his other self said, eyes wide. "Is that you?"

"I'm here. I'm in here!" Shute stepped forward, and his feet clunked heavily against the floor.

Aleda's eyescreens darkened, and the Gundamess collapsed. "Aleda!" both Shute and Captain cried and rushed to her. The one with the human hands, grunting with the effort, turned her over. "She's unconscious," he observed. "And very heavy." He looked over his body. "I am not accustomed to human strength."

"It is you, Captain?" Shute asked again with Captain's voice.

His body—Captain—nodded. "Yes, Shute. And you appear to be in my frame, too."

Shute held Captain's hands—his own, now—in front of his face. "What happened?" He started to notice numbers and letters proceeding in the corner of his vision. Bar graphs and wave plots appeared. "Wh-what?" A green lens slid over his right eye, and everything glowed in bright colors ranging from blue to red. "Aaah!" Captain-in-Shute appeared bright yellow, orange, and red. And his heart rate was elevated above normal levels, his temperature was above average, and much of his brain activity centered around the amygdala, and—

"Shute! Settle down!" Captain said, touching his warm human hands to Shute's metallic shoulders. "It's going to be okay!"

Shute nodded. "Should I... scan Aleda?"

Captain stepped back. "If you can, yes."

Shute directed his optical sensors to the Gundamess between them. "Her energy levels are pretty low. Her body is in a low-power mode. I think the magic drained her too much at once, so her body used emergency protocols."

Captain nodded, his brown hair tuft bobbing with his head. "I'm glad that she is still functioning. Could you carry her to Kao Lyn?"

"I think so..." Shute bent down and slipped his large metal hands underneath the Gundamess's head and legs. He raised her slowly, wobbling. "W-Woah!" She nearly slid out of his grip, but he tightened his fingers and repositioned his hands. "I'm not very used to this body."

"Neither am I adjusted to yours," Captain admitted. "I theorize that we will need Aleda's magic in order to reverse the process."

"No percentage?" Shute asked. He tried to smirk but found that he couldn't: his face was as stiff as concrete.

"I don't have the data available to me to make the necessary calculations," Captain stated as he started to walk towards the door of Shute's workshop. "You have them."

"Oh." Shute followed behind with Aleda in his arms.

Baku, returning from a riceball snack in Shute's kitchen, spotted Shute and Captain walking quickly from the workshop—with an unconscious Aleda in Captain's arms. "Aleda!" He ran down the wood bridge to them. "Captain, what happened to her?" he asked the Gundam.

"She used powerful magic, and it seems to have drained her energy," Shute said. "We're taking her to Chief Kao Lyn to see if he can help her recover."

"Great." Baku shook his head. "She must have done something careless. I worried that this was gonna happen while Zero was gone." Looking at Captain and Shute, he said, "I'll go with you."

The two nodded.

Captain's v-fin's flipped upside-down and flashed. _"Dark Axis activity detected," _a voice echoed in the Gundam audio receptor. _"Gundam Force must mobilize immediately!" _

"U-Uh, okay," Captain squeaked.

_ "What was that, Captain?" _

"Affirmative!"

_"Okay. We're sending the Re-Equip ring your way." _

Shute stepped in front of him. "Shute, no!"

Baku blinked. "Huh?"

"Let me talk to them," Shute demanded. He leaned into the side of Captain's helmet and said, "SDG base, do you read? We have a situation. Captain Gundam is not fit for combat. I repeat, Captain Gundam is not fit for combat."

_ "What is the situation?" _

"An accident has rendered Captain Gundam inoperable for an unknown period of time."

Chief Haro's voice came over the connection. _"If Captain can move, we need him. There are multiple bogies heading for the base." _

Shute frowned, and Captain made no reply.

_"Guneagle needs support in the air! He can't take this by himself!" _

"I have to do it, Captain," Captain said.

Baku glanced back and forth between them. "What's going on?"

Shute looked at him grimly. "I'm Captain."

"And I'm Shute," Captain said.

"W-What?!" Baku jumped back. "How?!"

"We'll explain after this," Shute-in-Captain said as he walked to the Musha Gundam. "For now, watch Aleda for us." He extended his arms to hand the Gundamess to Baku.

Baku, wide-eyed, nodded and reached to take her.

Shute's metal hands slipped and dropped her. Thunk! Baku looked down at the Gundamess half-buried in dirt. "Sorry! It was an accident!" Shute spluttered.

"We're doomed," Baku moaned.

…

The Re-Equip Ring sailed towards Shute's house. Shute eyed it intently, studying the distance measurements and projected trajectory coordinate numbers on his readout. "Okay, so I just use my boosters at... now!" Blue exhaust flared from his feet and thrust him into the sky.

Shute knew from the readouts that he was supposed to arrive at the Re-Equip Ring in mere seconds, but numbers could not warn him about the sensation of flight. The Ring enlarged rapidly. _I'm gonna miss it! _he fretted. He angled himself—

—and crashed into the underside of the Re-Equip Ring. "Ow!" Shute instinctively flinched, but when he raised his hand to rub his helm, he realized that he didn't feel any pain, just a slight pressure where he'd jarred his head and dented the peak of his helmet.

Meanwhile, Captain and Baku watched worriedly from the ground as Shute-Captain ricocheted off the bottom rim of the Re-Equip Ring, which hovered to wait for him. "Ouch!" Baku winced. Aleda still lay unmoving in his arms.

Captain-Shute frowned. "I don't know what to do," he said.

"Maybe if you yell for him the way he does for you?" Baku suggested.

"He needs accuracy, not power," Captain replied.

…

On the White Base, Juli gaped. Chief Haro peered at the screen. "Did I just see what I think I did?" he asked.

"Captain Gundam's trajectory was off by almost 45 degrees," Juli said.

"What happened, Captain?" Chief Haro demanded.

…

"N-Nothing!" Shute said. He lowered the output of the boosters so that he could inch closer, with more control, to the Ring. After a few seconds, he reached out a metal hand and grasped a seam on the floating station. "Ah!" His hard fingers nearly slipped off the smooth surface, but Shute curled their tips more tightly so that he could hook into the lip.

_"Captain Gundam, is your vestibular system working?" _Chief Haro asked.

"Yes! Everything's working fine, Chief!" Shute said. Then, he muttered, "It's just me that's not working."

_"I didn't copy, Captain." _

"I said nothing, Chief!"

The blue flares snuffed as Shute deactivated his jet boosters and hauled himself around and over the lip of the Ring. "I made it," he laughed. A crackling blue field of energy awaited him, and Shute stepped forward. Once his body touched the field, it raised him into the center of the Ring. "Huh, so this auto-docks," Shute noted under his breath.

White claws extended toward him, and Shute held his cooling intake. _That's right. This is where it takes me apart and replaces my arms and legs... _He gulped.

…

"Something is wrong," Chief Haro said, turning. "Chief Kao Lyn, what do you make of Captain's behavior?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that someone else was in that frame," Kao Lyn replied. "His behavior doesn't match his personality profile at all."

Haro looked at the screen, where the Re-Equip Ring was lowering Captain Gundam's combat helmet and the reddish rocket booster attachments to complete the transformation. "That accident must have been more serious than I thought. Keep a close eye on him, Kao Lyn. We're taking him in for a check-up as soon as this battle is over."

…

The helmet clicked into place, triggering a sensation similar to fingers sliding down his scalp, only inside his head, instead. Shute shuddered from the strange feeling. Then, the rocket boosters plugged into his shoulders, sending a shiver down his central cord bundles as they connected with interior wiring. He wanted to grimace, but his mouth could only open and shut like a nutcracker doll. _How does Captain get used to this? _he wondered.

He triggered the mouthguard to snap together and hide his face. _Okay, here we go. _Shaking off his discomfort, he activated the rumbling rocket boosters. "Captain Gundam, launching!" he announced.

Shute rocketed out the Re-Equip Ring. _Okay, so just gotta go to the coordinates... _He wiggled his legs to steer right, but his trajectory jerked sharply, tipping him almost upside down. "Waaaaaahh!"

Baku clenched Aleda's shoulderguard tighter. "Captain, do something! Say something!"

Captain squeezed his rubbery fingers together. "I don't know what to do." He only watched as his Gundam body flew out of sight.

Shute slowly unwound his turn as numerous flying bodies appeared ahead. Maroon and black robots and many Zakos zoomed through the air with their large, yellow, purple-tipped booster packs. "Zapper Zaku and Destroyer Dom," Shute identified. "And Zakos." His fingers twitched automatically towards Captain's beam rifle. Shute slowed his intake. _I can handle this. A lot is automatic programs. My computer knows how to fight, so... _

Another body jet in from the side. Shute jumped, gripped the rifle, and cocked it, but his vision zoomed in on the unknown bogie, and he saw that it was a familiar flier. "Guneagle reporting in, Captain, sir!" Guneagle saluted him. "What's the plan?"

"Uh..."

Guneagle slowed to a hover. "Captain?"

"It's Shute," the boy squeaked.

"What's that about Shute?"

Machine gun bullets whizzed between them, and they turned their sights to maniacally-laughing Zapper Zaku. Dom pulled up beside him and launched two missiles at the flying Gundams as they started to part from the bullet stream.

The proximity sensor in Shute's systems alarmed him to the incoming missile. Shute gasped and wracked his CPU for a solution. _Standard protocol: evade and/or early detonation. _He fired the Vulcan cannons on the sides of his helmet—strangely enough, they didn't blow out his auditory senses the way he expected; the data was collected and converted into an appropriate volume registry in the seconds before it ran through the CPU as a sensation—and they scattered over the missiles—though not in an accurate fashion. One missile exploded harmlessly, but the Vulcan cannon bullets then veered to Guneagle's path.

"Woah!" Guneagle gasped as the bullets whizzed centimeters from his visor. He rolled out of the way, so that he avoided the bullets and also pulled the other homing missile into his ally's attack. The missile detonated without grazing him. "That was too close for comfort, Captain!"

"Sorry, Guneagle!" Shute frantically apologized.

"Captain, look out!" Guneagle called.

Shute wheeled, and Zapper Zaku, hovering inches away, grinned at him over the barrels of his machine gun. "You're slackin' off today, eh, Gundam?"

Reflexively, Shute swung and nailed a heavy metal fist into Zapper's head. "Ow!" While the 'bot reeled, Shute pounded his jetpack with the Vulcan cannon. It sparked. "Ah, no! Stop!"

Guneagle, meanwhile, kept Dom at bay with his beam rifle. However, Zako soldiers zoomed past him. "Oh, no!" Guneagle shot missiles from the underside of his wings into the Zako cluster. Though the Zakos veered desperately to escape, the missiles blew many away. Shattered yellow and purple jetpack pieces rained down with cries of "Zakooooooooooo!"

Zapper tailspinned toward the ground, his jetpack steaming. "Yeah! Got him!" Shute cheered, pumping a fist into the air.

…

Chief Haro raised an eyebrow behind his green mask. "There is definitely something wrong. I'd almost say he acts like..." He jolted. "It can't be!"

…

Shute heard the whistle of missiles and turned to see Dom firing rockets at Guneagle. "Gotcha!" He fired his Vulcan cannons, again. Dom flinched at the impacts, and a couple of the projectiles exploded in close range, singeing his face. But then the steady pounding of the bullets gave way to empty clacks. "Huh?" Clack-clack. The cannons moved, but nothing flew out, and a flashing red "0" at the top corner of Shute's view caught his attention. "Out of ammo, already?" He raised his beam rifle to fire.

…

"What do the readouts say, Chief Kao Lyn?" Haro asked.

"Hiyaaaaah!" Kao Lyn punched in front of the monitor. "Captain Gundam's functions are all normal, according to the sensors."

"Then why—"

"Captain Gundam is burning through his rifle's energy!" Juli interrupted.

…

Violet arced across the sky chasing Dom and several Zakos as Shute dragged the beam rifle's trajectory after them. Guneagle swerved. "Captain!" he yelled.

"Sorry!"

The stream of light faded and disappeared. Shute shook the beam rifle. "Oh, no! This one ran out, too?" He tossed the drained rifle, which dropped to an uphill clearing below.

"Ah! Captain!" Guneagle reached helplessly toward the gun as it fell.

…

A man with a huge backpack, thick boots, and long pants panted as he stepped out of the woods. He brushed the sweat from his forehead and lifted his backpack over his shoulder.

Thwack! He yelped as something heavy smacked his pack and knocked him over. The man peered over the edge of his humongous backpack to find a thick, silver gun. "Aaaaah!"

…

Shute jet at the Zakos, leading with his fist. Their ranks split under his punch like wrapping paper slicing apart between scissors. "I'm getting the hang of this!" the boy cried. Bam! His right booster exploded, then his left.

Dom's deep chuckles reached his audios as he began to fall. "'Bye-bye, Gundam!"

Shute screamed on the way down to the clearing. The last thing his visual receptors perceived before impact was a terrified hiker huddled under his oversized backpack.

…

Shute slowly regained his consciousness and sight. Past bright lights, he saw a high, green ceiling above him. _SDG Base_, he thought. His tensed joints slackened as he relaxed. _I must have slept over. That was a weird dream, that I was Captain... _The ceiling still appeared a blurry green smudge, but it was steadily solidifying in his vision. He blinked—or rather, he tried to, but his eyelids didn't move. Shute raised a hand to rub his eyes—and Captain's hand came over his face.

"Aaaaaaahhh!" Shute cried in Captain's voice.

"Shute!" Shute's human body rushed to his side, presenting uncharacteristically serious green eyes.

Kao Lyn bounded in behind human-Captain. "Shute, calm down!" the scientist urged him. "You're safe! You're okay!"

"Captain, we're still... still..." Shute shuddered. A loud hum replaced his organic pulse, and his entire body felt as if it were encased in a layer of bubble wrap—he couldn't even sense the room temperature. The hum of his new body drew his eyescreens down to his chest, where the Soul Drive compartment lay folded open, exposing the whirling, spherical core.

Captain nodded. "We are. Aleda, Guneagle, and Bakunetsumaru are right here." He gestured; Bakunetsumaru stood close by with a grim scowl, and on two other work tables next to Shute's lay Guneagle and the unconscious Gundamess.

Guneagle, whose wings and shoulder armor had been removed to expose inner circuitry, raised a hand in greeting. "Yo."

"What happened to the Dark Axis?" Shute asked.

"Guneagle disabled Destroyer Dom, and the Dark Axis retreated." Captain continued, "We can plan a way to reverse the transformation once Aleda regains consciousness."

"I can't believe this happened." Shute gaped at his huge hands. "Did we really switch bodies?"

Captain crossed his arms. "For all we know, our consciousnesses could still be in our bodies while we merely have the control and sensation of the other's body."

"I don't know if that makes much of a difference," Shute sighed.

"Don't worry, Shute!" Kao Lyn nodded reassuringly. "We'll do everything we can to return you to normal. Until then, stay here in White Base and relax."

"What about school? And Mom, Dad, and Nana?" Shute asked. Though his voice was as expressive as always—even though it was Captain's voice—his face allowed no show of the sadness and worry he felt.

"Uh... Well, I guess Captain will have to fill in for you." Kao Lyn scratched his head.

Captain nodded, bobbing his bang-tuft. "I'll cover for you, Shute."

"You? But, Captain, you don't know about school, and—"

"I have learned many of your routines at home and at school from your stories, Shute. I can do this."

A groan interrupted them. Everyone turned to Aleda as her eyescreens flickered on. "Hey, sleeping beauty," Guneagle called.

Aleda blinked and turned her head. "Huh...?"

Baku stepped between their berths. "Hey, Aleda!" he said cheerily. He brought a heavy hand down on Guneagle's chest, causing the flier to flinch. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she answered.

"Aleda!" Shute said from his table. "The magic switched Captain and me!"

"What?" Aleda pushed herself up.

"The effect of the magic spell seems to have been to switch our conscious experiences," Captain said.

Aleda's eyes widened at the seriousness in those green human eyes. "Wait, you mean... you're Captain?"

The boy nodded.

"We should try the spell again and see if it switches us back," Shute said.

Baku stomped closer to Aleda's table. "Oh, no, you don't!" he said. "Aleda's too tired, and if you try it again, it might make things worse. We need to wait for Zero to come back, so he can help us figure this out. No one else knows what they're doing."

Aleda winced. "I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have tried that one. Zero told me not to do the ones in Ancient Lacroan..." She trailed off.

"Ah, so that's what it is." Baku put his hands on his hips. "I hope he knows how to fix it. Or else it's gonna be terrible for Shute and Captain."

Aleda curled in on herself, and Shute protested, "Baku, she feels bad about it, already."

"I'm not gonna mince words, Shute." Baku looked straight into the Gundamess's eyes. "It's disrespectful and foolish to ignore your teacher like that. I always listened to my master's instructions, and I'm sure Zero did, too. That's how we got where we are. If you don't want to listen, you don't want to learn."

"I'm sorry." Her emerald eyes pooled. "I'm sorry..."

The door hissed open. Everyone turned to see Chief Haro entering. "Chief!" The Gundam Force exchanged salutes.

"At ease. What is the status?"

"Guneagle suffered minor damage to his wing joints, and Aleda has regained consciousness." Kao Lyn thrust his finger at flesh-encased Captain. "Captain is a human, because of magic."

"What?!"

They explained the situation again to Haro, and the Chief sighed. "Captain Gundam, Shute, and Aleda," he said, "That was a very unwise move. In one fell swoop, two of our members have been incapacitated for an unknown duration. With Zero searching for Titan, we now have only Bakunetsumaru, Guneagle, Gunbike, and the Gundivers present to counter the Dark Axis. And, Gunbike's design supports Captain; as we discovered during Cobramaru's assault, he cannot easily maneuver off-road terrain. We are more vulnerable to the enemy now than ever before."

"I-I'm sorry," Aleda repeated.

"Where is the spell book right now?" Chief Haro demanded.

"At my house," Shute said.

"It will be returned here and confiscated for the time-being. Aleda, for your own safety, you are not to practice spells for a 48 hour period so that you can recover your strength."

She nodded and shut her eyes to hide the guilt that welled in them.

"As for you two, Captain and Shute: both of you are suspended from combat indefinitely. Shute will stay in White Base, and Captain will keep a low profile within Shute's home and daily life. I would keep you here, too, Captain, but Shute's mother will worry if her son is gone for too long."

"Understood, sir," Captain said, saluting.

Shute nodded. "Yes, sir."

…

Shortly after the conversation with Chief Haro, the lab cleared of all individuals but Aleda and Kao Lyn. The robotics scientist wanted to monitor Aleda longer for any other complications arising from the intense ancient spell. He'd wanted to monitor Captain and Shute longer, too, but they had had to leave with Chief Haro in order to plan a cover-up for the unusual switch. Guneagle had been completely fine. _"Don't worry about me, babe," _he'd said to Aleda with a wink emote that provoked a self-conscious blush in the Gundamess. _"I'm a-okay. Ask me if you need any help after you're done." _Then Baku had dragged him out roughly amid fultile protests.

Aleda waited calmly while the scanner bar attached to the table trawled over her. Kao Lyn stood at a console, immersed in the numbers and graphs on the screen. Once the bar had reached the other side and stopped, Aleda spoke up, "Kao Lyn?"

"Hm?"

"I had a question."

Kao Lyn turned his head slightly. "Oh?"

"Mobile citizens don't fall in love, right? So, why has Guneagle, um…"

"Flirted with you?"

"Yeah." Aleda blushed.

Kao Lyn grinned. "Several months ago, I released a software and hardware update to all mobile citizens that installed one of Titan's functions that I had cut before. It was a mechanism installed in the motherboard that included a piece that had a sort of polarity to it. It wasn't absolutely necessary for Gundams' function, so I didn't replicate it in my first desgns. But, I was afraid that my creations were missing something important, so I tried installing that mystery component—You can get up, now. I have enough scans." The scientist moved aside so that Aleda could slide off the table. Her mechanical feet tinked softly to the ground.

Kao Lyn continued, "It seems that the effect of that component is an attraction to an inversely polarized complementary component in your motherboard. I'm guessing that that component is in charge of romantic—or, rather, reproductive—attraction in Sola Diorama Gundams. Which means, I suppose, that you can expect many mobile citizens to start to behave strangely around you." He bashfully scratched his head. "I apologize for that."

Aleda took small, easy steps to test her systems. "All mobile citizens?"

"Yes, all of them."

"What about when Guneagle flirts with Juli and Pamela?"

Kao Lyn laughed. "Probably because there are almost no female robot targets for his energies. Humans can have strange attractions, too, you know."

Aleda giggled. "I guess."

"Okay, you are free to go for now." Kao Lyn spun. "If anything happens, though, come straight to me. I'll do what I can to help."

Aleda nodded.

As soon as she exited the lab, Aleda's grin fell. She drew her fingers across the front piece of her skirt. "All of them," she echoed to herself. "The mobile citizens..."

…

Shute clunked beside Captain towards the launch decks. His Soul Drive still hummed lightly in his chest—so lightly that he feared to breathe, as if such a small motion could displace the delicate core. He shivered as he remembered the sensation of the Soul Drive compartment closing: it had felt like a rumbly stomach, but in his chest and without queasiness.

He flexed a hand. "No offense, Captain, but this feels weird," he said to his displaced friend. The metal digits touched his palm, but the deadened feeling allowed him only to sense the resistance between the two surfaces, not the texture.

"None taken. I feel the same," Captain said, smiling slightly. "I have at least mastered one facial expression."

"That's great, Captain." Shute switched to a happy ^^ expression for his eyescreens. "I figured this one out."

"Good."

Shute's face returned to normal, and his eyescreens drifted to floor as they shuffled along.

"Are you alright, Shute?" Captain asked, his eyes scrunching in concern.

Shute jerked his gaze to Captain in surprise but said, "Yeah, I'm fine, Captain." _How does he know how I feel, even though his body can't express anything? _

Guneagle walked by them. "Hey, Captain! Shute! You doin' alright?"

"Yeah."

"We're operating well."

"Good. Hey, Shute!" Guneagle raised a hand. "Good job taking out that Zapper-whatsit guy!"

Shute grinned—and found that he couldn't. But, at least he was able to swing his hand for a high-five. "Ah, geeze, thanks!"

"Hey, just sayin' it like it is." With a salute, he said, "Good luck on the surface, Captain! Catch ya later!" and continued on.

"Am I doing alright, Captain?" Shute asked his best friend.

Captain smiled. "Yeah, you're doing fine. I hope I can perform well, too."

…

On the Gunperry, Zero sat apart from the GMs, who stood in neat rows chatting casually without changing their footing. Some of them rotated their torsos to see each other.

The blue lunchbox lay open in Zero's lap. The Winged Knight smoothly slid a deviled egg into his uncovered mouth and chewed on the rich, creamy snack. He "mm"ned in pleasure. _Delicious as always, milady, _he silently praised. He swallowed and reached for the next one. For a moment, he held it in his hand while his thoughts drifted to less encouraging topics. _I wonder what I will find? I fear that Titan did not survive. _He bit into the egg. _I hope I'm wrong. _

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

Aleda already got in trouble XD Zero won't be happy when he gets back, but in the meantime, Aleda's gotta wing it on her own and take responsibility. ;)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) My weekend job is resuming tomorrow, so the next chapter will probably be up around the same time next week. This is a lot of new writing, so I don't have old stuff to save me time, which is both good and bad, because new writing tends to come out better.

Some interesting Captain facts I think I should explain: in SDGF, he noticeably does not feel pain. He gets ganked/dismembered/both several times, but though he struggles, he doesn't favor one limb or another, he doesn't really flinch, and he doesn't scream or otherwise complain about pain. This indicates to me that he does not experience pain and only suffers from loss of function due to damage. Thus, Shute's feeling unusually numb. However, Captain experiences the blunt force of a blow, and he also has sensors and self-diagnostic programs that tell him and the SDG what's damaged. The sensors and programs, however, don't manifest the damage report in the experience of pain, because that would be inconvenient during combat. Also, because of the lack of a system that reports outside stimuli as a sensory experience, Captain doesn't feel heat or cold, although he of course can measure the temperature; nor does he feel textures such as soft or hard, even though he is aware of the hardness, resilience, and molecular makeup of any material that he can scan or that he has stored in his internal database. He knows the exact pressure that he can apply to Shute in a hug without harming him, but he feels none of the warmth or softness from that affectionate expression. These traits apply to all Neotopian-made Gundams and mobile citizens in my fics.

Emotionally, though, Captain, Guneagle, Gunbike, and the rest of the Neotopian robots experience everything their Sola Diorama counterparts can—even romantic attraction, after Kao Lyn's upgrade. Most mobile citizens are very familiar and comfortable with their emotions, but Captain, who is a military unit with a personality that wishes to please superiors and authority figures, has not nurtured and explored his feelings much before meeting Shute and his other friends. Why has Captain not shown an attraction to Aleda like Guneagle? As Baku demonstrated, even robots with the ability to crush on someone won't all be attracted to the same kind of people. Captain appreciates Aleda as a comrade and a friend—or maybe a friend of a friend—but romance never crossed his mind.

Thanks again to Titanic X for beta reading and for giving me suggestions for this fun little arc!

Please review! And I'm still lookin' for beta number 2, so don't be shy if you think you might like to volunteer!

-Penelopi


	14. In Someone Else's Frame

**Author's Notes**

So, this update was a day off from "next week". Sorry, guys. :( I had a lot happen over the last seven days. I'm glad I was able to get this out, though.

On a side-note, I revised the first chapter of Little Wing a bit to make it more like 3-14 and on. I've noticed that there are a lot more views and visitors on the first chapter than the rest of the chapters. My conclusion is that the beginning wasn't drawing most readers in. I've revised it more thoroughly than on my initial pass-through to try to make it more compelling. However, there's not much that I can glean from just the stats. Please review, everyone, even on older chapters, so that I can know how to improve!

**Disclaimer**

Sunrise and Bandai made SD Gundam Force (and cruelly hid it after one season—or two, if you're Japanese), and they own it, not me. I made and own the OCs Aleda, Titan, Myles (who's not mentioned in this chapter), Margaret, John, Rob, and Ms. Noel.

* * *

**Chapter 14: In Someone Else's Frame **

"Grappler Gouf, reporting," Grappler growled to the back of Commander Sazabi.

The tall mecha turned, his single eye locking onto the blue warrior. "Grappler. You, Zapper Zaku, and Destroyer Dom have failed to bring me results in Neotopia," said Sazabi.

Grappler stepped back warily, his claws twitching.

"I have an advantage to give you that can remove future setbacks. But, I want results," Sazabi said. "If you fail this, then you'll get more than a laser beam to the rear."

Grappler gulped and lowered his claws. "What is the advantage...sir?"

Sazabi's eye gleamed. "Something that only people with a decent processor can handle." He stepped aside, and Grappler gaped at the shape in the shadows behind him. "This was a gift entrusted to me from the General himself," Sazabi snarled, "so you had better take care of it."

"Y-Yes, sir."

…

"Oh, hi, Shute!" Keiko said to her son as he slid the patio door shut behind him.

The boy grinned. "Hello, mother."

"Did you have a good time with your friends, today?" She smiled at him over the edge of her laptop.

"We had a lot of fun, today!"

A few low lights bathed the kitchen beyond the joint living room, but most illumination came from the setting sun shining through the sliding doors and a kitchen window. On the carpet next to the table where Keiko worked on the following week's science lesson plans, Nana gurgled happily in her play pen. "Hello, Nana," the boy said, kneeling to see the pink-clad infant.

Nana grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously while laughing. Her playmate's face twitched in a stiff smile, and he belted out a monotonous laugh. Nana blinked, and Keiko raised her eyebrow. "Are you pretending to be Captain?" Keiko asked.

Captain immediately put away the awkward smile. "…Yes, I was. Sorry."

The woman laughed, "I hope you can copy his work ethic just as well."

Captain nodded. "I will try, mother."

"Shute, are you alright?" Keiko asked with an anxious frown. "You don't seem yourself."

"I'm fine," Captain said, forcing a grin. "I'm going to go do homework." He about-faced but stumbled forward a step.

"Are you really alright?" Keiko said, starting to stand.

"Yes." Captain's heart pounded, and heat rushed through his limbs. _This corresponds with what Shute told me about humans' adrenaline rush, _he thought. He took another, more careful step forward. _I still have to practice control of this body. It offers a wider range of motion but less accuracy. _

"Okay. Just be careful. Dinner will be in thirty minutes," Keiko said.

"Affirmative."

…

Shute paused in the hallway to punch the air. Woosh! He punched with the other fist. Whoosh! He marveled at how the air split around his quick motion. His readouts reported to him that the amount of force in the punches was 683.29 newtons and 684.103 newtons. "Wow!" Shute turned over his hands to stare at his palms in awe. "I knew Gundams were strong, but… wow!" He poised himself and kicked, yielding 623.46 newtons. "Yeah!"

A tiny motion caught his optical sensors, and Shute zoomed his vision in to see it: a fly circled between the wall and the ceiling, every hair and every facet of its eyes clear to the peering boy-bot. "Cool!" Shute took a step forward, and his view swirled drastically from the motion. "Oh. That's a little confusing." He reeled in the focus to an average human viewpoint.

Then, Shute tuned his audio sensors to the highest sensitivity, and the energy flowing in his circuits buzzed in his hearing. Metallic clicks lightly echoed his way. Shute's software matched the sounds to the gaits of a couple of GMs, and, further down, Bakunetsumaru. _Huh, Captain has our movement and voice patterns stored, _Shute noted. He walked to meet his samurai friend, following the projected origins of his footsteps as projected by his software.

Two GMs marched down a branching hall. Finally, Shute spotted the red armored warrior coming his way. "Baku!" he called with a wave.

"Hey… Shute," Baku paused a moment, blinking, to again comprehend the identity of the robot before him. "Did… Captain already leave?"

Shute nodded. "Yeah, 23 minutes and 42 seconds ago."

"Hm. Well, I hope tomorrow works out for him. How are you doing?"

The metal-suited boy pumped a fist, squealing, "I can punch almost as hard as a cannonball!"

Baku perspired. "Yes, I guess you can."

"I can't believe Gundams are this strong!" Shute gushed. "It's awesome!" He threw some practice punches in the air. "Hyah! Hyah!" Then, he rotated his entire torso to draw more momentum. "Ha—woah!" His punch careened Baku's way, and the Musha Gundam easily palmed it.

"Be careful," Baku cautioned.

Shute pulled his hand out. "Sorry. I just want to know more about Captain and you all while I have the chance."

"I would be glad to spar with you, if Chief Haro hadn't said you shouldn't fight."

Shute sighed. "Yeah, that bums me out, a bit."

"He's just worried you'd get hurt." Baku crossed his arms. "And I can't blame him after what happened, today."

Shute flipped his eyescreens to a tight-shut expression in order to convey a wince. "Yeah… Hey, where's Aleda?"

"She's in her room, right now." Baku shrugged. "I tried to talk to her, but she seems to want to be left alone. I think she's embarrassed about the whole thing."

"Oh," Shute uttered sadly.

"Hey, do you wanna find something to do?" Baku said with a light punch to his arm.

"Oh, uh, sure."

Before they could discuss their options, speakers hidden in the ceiling blared, _"Captain Gundam, please report to Chief Kao Lyn." _

"That probably means me," Shute sighed.

…

The human family of four sat around a table full of riceballs and fried pork cutlets. Nana's seat, however, was a high-chair, and her plastic Tupperware contained grape tomatoes and chopped chicken nuggets. "Thanks, honey," Mark said as he cut into the pork on his plate.

Keiko smiled. "You're welcome, dear." Then, "Shute, aren't you going to eat?"

Captain jolted. "Oh, yes." He stole a glance at Mark sawing the cutlets into bite-sized pieces while he lifted his own fork and knife. Slowly, he stuck the fork into the meat until a click indicated that it had reached the plate. Then, just as deliberately, he sawed the meat, back and forth, several inches away from his fork hand. The meat strip wiggled with the motion and barely split below the surface. Keiko wrinkled her forehead.

Tightening his lips, Captain leaned into the sawing motion to apply more force.

"Shute, what are you doing?" Keiko asked. "You know how to eat."

"Yes, I do," Captain said, "but…" he trailed off.

"His hands must be tired from working in his workshop all day," Mark said with a disarming smile.

"Oh! Is that it? You must have been working hard," Keiko said. She reached for Captain's plate. "Here, let me help you."

Captain passed his dish and utensils to her. "Thank you."

"No problem." As Captain watched in awe, Keiko sliced the pork in seconds and returned his meal to him. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Miss—er, mother."

"You're welcome, Shute."

Captain pressed the fork into the meat and slid the bite into his mouth. As his lips closed, his eyes widened. _So, this is why they are excited for well-prepared food, _he thought to himself. The sensation of tasting, especially such a rich food, evaded comparison to any prior experience. The delicate crunch of the outer texture gave way to soft, protein-and-fat-loaded material that soaked his tongue with flavor. He scraped the fork out slowly between his teeth and then, bidden by instinct, clicked his teeth together to take his first bite. Juiciness and grease flooded his mouth.

"Is something wrong, Shute?" asked Keiko.

Captain shook his head, green eyes still wide in amazement. Mark watched him intently. The boy's chewing pace accelerated, and, finally, he swallowed. Captain felt the food slide down to his belly, where it rested and partially filled a cavity that he had not before perceived. "It's… amazing," he gasped.

Mark chuckled, and Keiko, smiling, said, "Why, thank you."

Nana, gurgling, shoved a grape tomato in her mouth with her tiny hands.

His cavity rumbled, begging for more, and Captain found himself more than willing to oblige.

…

"So, what will I do, tomorrow, chief?" Shute asked Kao Lyn while the scientist twirled around him to study data charts and Shute's physical mechanical state from his own unique point of view. Shute waited motionless near a wall, where a white and square metallic structure stood ready for docking.

"Good question!" Kao Lyn whirled his arms about as he thought. "Captain usually recharges, trains, runs tests, and spends time with Zero and Bakunetsumaru before you leave school. However, Chief Haro doesn't want you to do any combat exercises, and he wishes me to keep a close eye on you." His perpetual motion slowed for a moment. "How about you help me around the lab, tomorrow? You're a creative tinkerer yourself, and I'd love some company!"

Shute flashed a happy emote. "Aw, yeah! That would be great!"

Kao Lyn nodded. "Then that's that!" With a spin, he pointed at the gizmo by the wall. "So, Shute, are you ready for your first recharge cycle?"

"I guess." The voice warbled out of the robot frame uncertainly. "What's it like?"

"A lot like sleeping—at least, I think," Kao Lyn said. "During recharge, mobile citizens' internal batteries are recharged, their data is defragmented, and unimportant files are deleted. Software updates are also applied. Their systems often restart a few times, but they do not usually return to full consciousness until morning."

Shute nodded. "Are you sure it'll work the same way for me?"

"I don't know. But, I think it's safe to assume that."

"Alright." Shute backed into the recharge station, jolting a bit as the plugs entered his body.

"Does it feel strange?" Kao Lyn asked.

"Yeah." Shute regretted the facial stiffness that prevented him from expressing the nuances of a nervous smile. "All of the docking feels weird to me."

Kao Lyn jumped around Shute, peering at his body anew. "I'm very curious. What does it feel like?"

"Like… a shock? It's really quick, short, and powerful." Shute laughed apologetically. "I don't know if that makes sense."

Kao Lyn bobbed his head. "No, no, that is a very illuminating description! I'll have to write that down." Beaming, he said, "But, you need your recharge, so go ahead and power down."

"O-Okay…"

"Don't worry, Shute. Captain does it all the time, and it never hurt him."

Shute nodded. "I know. I'm fine." His eyescreens dimmed to black, and his joints slackened, allowing his head to dip forward a smidgen.

Kao Lyn smiled. "Good night, Shute." The scientist turned and walked out of the lab, flipping the light switch as he left.

…

Captain marched through the school's main double doors amid a swarm of children. He instinctively slowed his movements when the children bumped against him, a protocol developed to avoid accidental injury to fragile human bodies. Not that he needed such a habit at this time. On the contrary, his hesitance limited his progress significantly; his velocity approximated 2.1 kilometers per hour.

_"Class will start in 5 minutes," _the intercom system announced through the poster-board-speckled white halls.

Captain accelerated to 5 kilometers per hour. Hesitantly, he slid himself in-between two clusters of chatting girls. "Excuse me," he said as he sidled through. Observing that no negative reaction—or any reaction, at all—triggered from his behavior, Captain nudged into the crowd ahead with more force. "Pardon me. Excuse me." All the while, his delicate green eyes, constantly shuttering to self-moisturize, scanned the numbers posted beside each open doorway for "6-GP01." He found the sixes on the second floor and followed them down from 6-GA01, until he spied his target two doors down from the window at the end of the hallway.

"Excuse me," he said, slipping by two boys.

His backpack snagged. "Excuse me?"

That hot, tingly feeling flushed through Captain's body, again. He met eyes with his accoster. That one had a hand on his backpack's haul loop, while the other boy sneered at him behind messy red hair. "Pardon me," Captain said, "but why are you holding my backpack?"

The flow of students reshaped to give the group a wide berth. The analog clock posted a few doors down ticked a minute to 7:30.

"I wanted to talk to you," said the blond boy gripping Captain.

"Why is that?"

"You pushed me."

"I'm sorry. I said, 'Excuse me.' I had no intention to offend you," Captain apologized. His face instinctively frowned, but his voice still projected rigidly like in his robot form. "I'm trying to report to class by the appointed time. I'll be more careful, next time."

"If you're sorry, then make it up to me," the boy said, scowling beneath blue eyes.

Captain bunched his brown eyebrows together. "How should I do that?"

The boy released his backpack. "You could let me see your homework so I can double-check my answers."

"Is that permitted by the teacher?"

Their eyebrows rose, and other boy, the redhead, scoffed. "Are you serious, Shute?"

"Of course." Captain eyed the clock's second hand. "Can we discuss this at lunch time? Class is about to begin." The throng of students had thinned to only one or two.

"But, we're not done talking, yet," said the blue-eyed one.

"I know, which is why I'll talk to you at lunch." Captain backed toward his classroom. _This body automatically senses hostility, _he internally marveled.

A woman poked her head out the door. "Shute, John, and Rob, class is about to start. Come in."

John and Rob lowered their faces to hide scowls. Reluctantly, they followed Captain into the classroom.

Several rows of single synthetic resin desks held the middle of the room. A large electronic touch board displayed morning routine tasks at the front of the class, while in the back, behind all of the students, the teacher's desk, labeled "Ms. Noel," brimmed with papers and folders. Captain spotted the name "Shute" on a desk in the third-to-last row and approached it. Observing the behavior and posture of the other students, he set his backpack on the floor space in front of the desk and sat down.

"Good morning, Shute."

Captain blinked at the familiar purple-eyed girl sitting beside him. "Good morning, Sayla," he said back.

The girl gave him a sugary smile and returned to her morning work: a sheet of geometry problems. Captain read the message on the electronic board: _"Complete the morning math work. Read a book when you're done."_

_What is morning math work? _Captain wondered. He surveyed the other students to see if their behavior could suggest the answer to him. Some already pored over books. Most were working at their seats. And the girl on his opposite side was drawing on a sheet of printer paper. Captain squinted. The rough marks formed scattered doodles of robots—including three familiar ones: one with two swords, one with a cape, and one with a beam rifle. Captain raised an eyebrow.

Ms. Noel passed by Captain's row and said, "Margaret, if you are finished, please read."

The tall, broad-shouldered girl blushed. "I'm sorry," she quickly muttered, sliding the sheet into her desk and pulling out a comic book. Her cheeks glowed red over the edge of "Rockman" volume 9.

Behind him, Captain heard a familiar voice hiss, "Nerd girl got in trouble." He glanced back to see John and Rob snorting two rows behind.

A knock came at the classroom door, and Ms. Noel maneuvered the grid of desks to open it. "Mrs. Baker? Oh, yeah, sure." She turned to the class to say, "I'm going to talk to Mrs. Baker for a few minutes. Keep working. I'm going to be right out here, and I expect to hear diligent sounds while I'm talking." She ducked outside.

Margaret's eyes wandered to her desk cubby, and she tugged the edge of her drawing sheet.

"Don't do that, Margaret," blond John scolded. "You heard what Ms. Noel just said." Arrogance carved a smirk into his face. "You need to be learning."

Margaret protested, "I was just looking at it. Mind your own business."

Rob spun a ruler on the tip of his pencil. "It's not much to look at. You should stick with math," he commented offhand.

The girl's blue eyes scrunched in hurt and anger.

"It is good to be concerned for your classmate, but insulting her artwork is not necessary to correct her behavior," Captain said.

John and Rob glared. "Shute, are you trying to pick a fight with us, today?" John growled.

Captain knit his brows. "I am not. My goal is to follow the rules and to help others do the same. It is against the rules to detract from your classmate."

John rose. "Shut up, Shute." Bystanders gawked nervously.

"I don't understand why you would want to say such things to your classmate," Captain continued. "Some of her drawings are based on existing mobile citizens, but others are completely original designs. She should be praised for her creativity."

Margaret's ears, protruding through her dirty blond hair, burned red.

John started towards Captain, and the skin-laden 'bot tensed. But, the blond suddenly veered and snatched the paper from under Margaret's arm. "You mean this trash?"

"Stop!" Margaret jumped from her seat. He ripped it in half.

Captain sprang up and grabbed the boy's wrist.

The door opened. "What is going on, here?!" Ms. Noel barked.

Ten minutes later, Captain, John, and Margaret waited in the main office with anxious stomach butterflies for their sentences. They had each given their stories: John had been unable to counter the hard evidence of a ripped paper and the eyewitness testimony of Ms. Noel, but Captain-Shute had also been seen grappling with him. The heavy wooden door to the principal's office opened. "Shute, come in."

"Yes, sir," Captain replied as he obediently stood and followed the man. He and the principal sat themselves on opposite sides of the man's thick desk.

The principal learned forward. "Shute. I understand that you were trying to stop bullying behavior," he began. Captain nodded. "But," the principal continued, "physical contact is not permitted in school. Because you, according to Ms. Noel and John, grabbed John, you will have to stay home from school for a few days."

Captain gaped. "But, sir, I refrained from harming him. He suffered no abrasions," he protested.

"I understand. The rules mandate, though, that any student who instigates a hostile physical exchange must be suspended for at least three days," the principal stated slowly, apologetically. "It is regrettable that John ripped Miss Margaret's drawing, but it did not require a physical intervention."

Captain dropped his eyes to his soft hands. "I see." Then, he raised his head. "What will the long-term consequences be for this suspension?"

"It can affect your record, but there is leniency, depending on the circumstances." The principal eked out a regretful smile. "Just remember to keep your hands to yourself, and I'm sure this will be off the record before you reach high school."

The boy nodded, green eyes clouded.

"Alright. Your father is on his way to pick you up, so please wait in the main office until he arrives."

"Yes, sir."

…

Aleda idled in the enclosed biome of White Base, sitting under the shade of a tree, one of several scattered in clusters over the park-like lawn. She lightly teased the grass with a white finger as she frowned at the turf. SDG staff occasionally chattered in the background as intermittent groups passed by on their way to scheduled breaks, to meetings, testing sessions, etc. Their boots clunked across the straight walkways breaking through the park.

"So, this is where you were."

The Gundamess blinked her green eyes and lifted her gaze to a red-clad musha.

"What are you doing?" Baku asked.

She shrugged. "I came to see if Chief Haro would reconsider taking the book, but he left a while ago for something important." Her voice sank under the weight of her heavy GunSoul.

"Ah. Well, you don't really need it, right now."

Aleda sighed.

"I-I mean, well... it'll all be fine!" Baku sprouted a cheerful smile. "You'll get to start training, again, when Zero gets back."

She nodded, but her inner voice whispered, _Only if Zero wants to keep teaching you. _

"So, what are you going to do, now?" Baku asked.

"I want to at least practice with my sword, but it uses magic energy."

"Hm..." Baku's gaze passed over the park. "Aha!" He walked to a nearby tree and twisted off a loose branch from its lowest tier. "Here." He threw the straight branch at Aleda, who clapped her hands around it. Green eyes curiously followed him as he snapped another loose member from the tree. "Alright!" Baku turned to her, rolling his shoulders. "Let's get started!"

Aleda climbed to her feet, eyes alight with determination.

…

Guneagle rested on the lab table while, a few feet away, Chief Kao Lyn and Shute pored over his detached wings. Shute peered closely, nearly touching his red chin to the platform that the device rested on. "So, it has Gundamium, too?"

Kao Lyn nodded. "Yes, precisely! The flexible and durable traits of this material allow for very slight adjustments, which translates to sharper steering capabilities!"

"I can turn on a dime," Guneagle bragged.

"Not quite. If there were no wind resistance, then it would be possible," Kao Lyn corrected him.

The flier shrugged. "It's hyperbole."

"It's really cool, Guneagle," Shute said, fingering the wings' segments.

"Thanks."

"There are a few loose parts we need to tighten," Kao Lyn said, "and then Guneagle will be ready for a safe flight, again. But~" He whirled. "Before we do that, I have to hit the head. I'll be right back!" He bounded through the doors.

"The old chief can't keep still," Guneagle chuckled.

"Yeah," Shute laughed.

"Are you keeping up with him okay?"

"Yeah. I kinda wish that I could try some of Captain's moves, though."

"You mean fists-leading, guns-blazing, sorta moves?"

Shute nodded.

Guneagle stretched his arms back and cushioned his head with his hands. "Yeah, it's a bummer that Chief Haro won't let you try combat, isn't it?" He turned his visual receptors to Shute and added, mischievously, "If you did try to train, you'd get in trouble _if _he found out, right? And then he'd probably keep you locked in here all day _if _he knew what you were doing."

"Yeah, it would take someone sneakier than me to pull it off." Inwardly, Shute grinned.

"I'm glad you got the picture," Guneagle said, blinking one eyescreen off momentarily to wink.

…

"What happened, little buddy?" Shute's skinny, rough-shaven father asked as he and Captain drove out of the school's parking lot. "It's not like you to try to fight someone."

"I didn't try to hurt John," Captain pleaded, "I was only trying to restrain him so that he would not continue to deface the property of his classmate, Margaret."

"You were sticking up for her, huh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Was she in danger?"

Captain hesitated and scrunched his face to think. "No."

They paused at a stop sign briefly and then drove on.

"I think it's great that you were sticking up for your classmate," Mark said with a smile, "but even just grabbing someone can have bad results, so you shouldn't do that unless someone's going to get hurt, okay?"

Captain frowned. "I understand."

A few minutes passed as they coasted down Main Street. Then, they slowed to a brake at a stop light. "Hey, son?" Captain met the man's green eyes. "I'm proud of you." Captain stared at that genuine, affectionate smile, stunned into silence. "I mean it," Mark said. "You care a lot about other people. I admire that."

The green light blinked on, and Mark returned his eyes to the road. The image of his smile lingered, though, leaving a warm feeling in Captain's chest that spread to his throat. "Thank you… Dad," Captain said softly.

"Not at all, little dude."

To Captain's dismay, the liquid film over his eyes thickened and pooled at the corners, blurring his vision. He turned his face to the window to discreetly wipe his tears. He hoped, in spite of his momentary lack of digital precision, to commit those few minutes to memory, every visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory input—even the strange sensation known as taste, which sensed an odd flavor from the stickiness traveling down the back of his throat—because that was the first time, in the five years he had been operational, that he had ever heard those treasured words.

…

After Guneagle's tuning, the flier departed for a test flight, and Shute begged Kao Lyn to leave the lab. "I'm feeling stir-crazy, sir," the metal boy pleaded.

"Well, I guess you have a tracker, anyways, so it can't hurt," Kao Lyn said.

Shute's eyescreens blinked. "I do?"

"Of course! After losing him for several hours that day when he first met you, we had to make sure we'd never lose track of him, again!" Kao Lyn waved him out the door. "Go on, go on! I have exciting high-security-clearance work I can do while you're out!"

Shute turned his head around, drawn by the temptation of top-secret tech, but the door shut in his optics. So, Shute, regretfully, tore himself away to explore White Base, wandering to the biome where the huge dome window allowed a view of Guneagle peeling through the sky. He heard clacking and smacking sounds from the lawn and looked to see Baku and Aleda swatting at each other with sticks. He wanted to smile, but his mouth couldn't widen. "Hey! Baku!" he called.

Baku sidestepped a stab and shouted back, "Hey, Captain! –I mean, Shute!" He held out a hand to stop Aleda's next jab, and the girl diverted the blow and caught her footing before she could fall. "Weren't you with Chief Kao Lyn?" Baku asked Shute as he walked toward them.

"I asked him if I could get a breather. Hi, Aleda!"

Aleda flashed a quick smile before guilt dragged her eyes to the grass.

"Are you and Aleda training?"

Baku twirled his branch. "Yeah, I'm filling in for Zero."

"Can I join in?"

The Musha Gundam stuck the stick in the ground. "I already told you that I can't do that without Chief Haro's permission."

Shute sighed. "Alright." He raised his gaze to the skies and found them absent of a certain flier. _He must have finished. I'm gonna go find him! _Shute thought. "Well, I guess I ought to let you practice, then." His stiff face never betrayed his plotting mind.

"Sorry, Shute," Baku apologized.

"It's fine." Shute turned to clunk away.

"Shute," Aleda spoke up. He rotated his torso to view her. She clenched her unarmed fist. "I'm sorry for all of this."

"It's okay. Captain and I should've known better, too," Shute said, flashing his happy expression.

"I'll fix it," the Gundamess stated. "I promise."

"Don't worry. We'll all fix it," he replied. He realigned his torso to his legs and walked.

…

Guneagle pulled Shute by the white mechanical wrist. "Come on, come on! Over here!" They sped around a corner to behold tall double-doors. Guneagle slapped a button next to the entrance, and it slid apart to let them into a dark, spacious room. "Let's go!" He dragged his partner inside.

The doors shut behind them, leaving only their eyes as a source of illumination. "Where is this?" Shute asked, skimming a myriad of boxes and metal parts revealed by the glow of his eyescreens and his night vision.

"It's an old storage room." Guneagle put his hands on his hips. "Cool, huh? They didn't install any security cameras in here, so we can practice without anyone finding out. And—" He plucked a stand plastered with a red target circle. "—this place has old training equipment from back before Captain was around."

"Awesome!"

"It's not as great as the stuff we use now, but I figure it's something."

"This is great, Guneagle! Thanks!" Shute bounced excitedly, sending loud, echoing clacks.

"Ready to get started?"

Shute crouched, eyes locked onto his mentor. "Yeah," he eagerly said.

"Then, let's start with your aim, since it was a little scary, last time." Guneagle slapped the base of the target board on the floor. "Back up 152 meters and shoot this." Shute rolled backwards by the wheels on his feet. "…And wait for me to get outta the way," Guneagle added, scooching behind some barrels.

Shute, guided by proximity sensors, twisted around stacks of boxes until he reached the correct distance. Only a narrow window through the boxes revealed the target, just left of its center. "Am I using the Vulcan cannons?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure!"

He shifted to find the center. A box blocked his way here, a barrel obscured his sights there… Aha! There, in an opening 5 centimeters in diameter, loomed the red dot. The green scanning lens slid over Shute's eye. "Alright…" The crosshairs in his vision wiggled left, then right, then up, and finally… "Gotcha," Shute breathed.

Banging noises rattled the storage room, accompanied by bright flashes. The target trembled, and boxes recoiled. "Stop, Shute!" Guneagle frantically cried. "Stop!"

The bullets subsided. With a clack, the target fell. "Huh?" V-fins poked over the boxes as Shute tiptoed to see.

Guneagle walked to the steaming target, shaking his head, and hoisted it. "You got it, but you got the crates over there, too." He thumbed at smoking stock behind him.

"Oh. Sorry!"

"I don't think anyone will miss it—much—but how about we clear some space for you?"

"Sure!" Shute skipped around the box stack and ran to help.

…

Baku carried the branch over his shoulder as he strolled. "Zero's taught you well," he said to the Lacroan walking beside him. "Your form is developing well."

Aleda hugged her branch in the crook of her arm and offered a small smile. "Thanks."

"He'll be proud of you."

Her smile faltered. "Even after this?"

"Well, he'll be a little mad, but he'll forgive you." Baku grinned. "You two are pretty close, after all."

Aleda blushed. "I guess. But, I need to get Captain and Shute back to normal."

"Don't worry about it."

"I don't want to be annoying to Zero…"

"The first thing you have to know about Zero is that I'm the only one who can annoy him," the samurai bragged. "Plus, it's impossible for him to think a girl's annoying. And finally—" He clapped a hand on her wing-tipped shoulder. "—it's okay if you can't fix a mistake by yourself. That's what friends are for."

Aleda blinked. "I…"

"Stop worrying." Baku sauntered on, and Aleda pumped her short legs to keep up.

In spite of the Musha Gundam's warning, the Gundamess continued to silently fret, _I have to fix it before Zero gets back. _

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, one of the important things that happened this last week is that I got another part-time job! Whoo! I'll try to get Chapter 15 up before the end of next week, because come the start of September, I have both classes and more work. So, unfortunately, Little Wing will probably soon be slowing down again to 1 and a half to 2 weeks between updates.

Btw, someone had a laugh on the Gundam Wiki by putting a new category on Zero's profile, "Love Interests," which has Princess Rele listed. Nothing like that is on Shute's or even on Princess Rele's profile, just Zero's. And I'm pretty sure, from all the times I've perused the SDGF-related pages on that Wiki, that that was not there before. Go see it for kicks before they edit it out. XD

Please review and let me know your thoughts/criticisms/feelings! If you don't feel like logging in to comment, just comment as a guest, please! I want to know what my audience thinks!

And, again, thanks to Titanic X for beta-reading this chapter!

-Penelopi


	15. Clash Before the Storm

**Author's Notes**

Chapter 15. My goodness, this is getting big! Of course, I should have expected no less. I imagine there are another 50 chapters before this fic will be finished. Maybe more. Thank you, Titanic X, for helping me punch out these chapters so quickly this month!

I have an announcement to make to those who didn't see it on my profile page: I really _really REALLY_ need reviews! I am experiencing a bug on that prevents me from seeing any traffic stats. I can no longer see all you quiet people checking in and out of my pages. I can no longer see where reader number cutoffs are. So, though it was important before, it's even more important now that you review/comment! If you're not comfortable giving a signed review (or just don't feel like signing in at the moment), give a guest review. If you're not comfortable typing something for the whole world to see, then send me a PM. If all you have to say is two words, I'll take that! Just please, please review!

And, yes, I've e-mailed support. Twice. They're pretty quiet, aren't they?

As for this chapter itself: we have a few favorite villains making an appearance right off the bat in some scenes that I failed to scatter through previous chapters. It's fun writing them. ;)

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is owned and produced by Bandai and Sunrise. I only created the OCs Aleda, Titan, August, and Margaret… Are those all the ones I have in this chapter? Oh, there are John and Rob, also.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Clash Before the Storm**

_Ten days earlier: _

Pink-glowing fluid simmered in a branching vat at the base of the vast chamber. In its dim glow, tubes from the floor and pulsating lines in the purple walls converged on a grilled, horned mask with three pink eyes behind its slats.

An orange-armored robot, riding a square floating platform, knelt before the three-eyed being. "Master, withhold your rage a little longer," he implored. "I will ensure the capture of Neotopia, so that you may feast on the Gundamium of many robots."

A pointy, red-tinted magic circle formed behind him and sprouted an ethereal, beady-eyed shape. "You called, Professor Gerbera?" the figure, glowing green as a ghost, rasped.

Gerbera rose, and his floating platform rotated to face the newcomer. "You have been very prompt, Deathscythe. I have a mission that requires magical ability."

"Oh?"

"I understand that Tallgeese is still absent."

"I detect the magic of both the Griffon and the Feather Dragon within the borders of Lacroa," Deathscythe said, "but I have yet to locate either of them, and Tallgeese has not yet appeared."

"This would not be his forte, anyways. Commander Sazabi is experiencing…difficulties in another dimension," Gerbera rumbled. "We plan to set a trap for our enemies."

Deathscythe's tiny eyes glinted. "What sort of trap did you have in mind?"

…

The lake shone, but no glimmer of a Gundam could be seen, aside from Titan himself. The boxy Knight Gundam turned his eyes from the lake to the treeline edging it a few feet in from the shore. "Master?" he called, starting to glide along the shore while peering through the trees. "Master August? It's Titan, your page!"

Latticed sunlight gleamed off red. Titan slowed. "Master?"

A cape swished on the back of a red-armored Gundam. Titan squeezed his bulky frame between the trees, eyes set on the mysterious frame in a clearing beyond. "Master…" he began.

The form turned to reveal, indeed, the familiar face of August. "Titan?"

Titan, breaking into the clearing—and snapping a few branches in his haste—beamed the happiest smile he had given in fifteen years. "Master!" Not a single detail of August the Wild's appearance had changed, not even the cocky, warm smile that he flashed.

"I'm so glad to see you, Titan!" August held out his arms, and Titan, like the twelve-year-old that he had once been, joined him in a bear hug. "You've grown!" his master praised. Then, in a lower voice, "It's about time someone took care of that."

August shifted his arm, and Titan felt a hard object prod his helmet. His master's face dissipated, leaving underneath a one-eyed, red-armored creature wearing a crested helmet. "What?"

"This was too easy, zako," the red zako sneered into Titan's gaping face.

…

Blue-edged narrow feet stopped at a dented, deep blue shield lying on the patchy grass. Zero bent down and lifted it, inspecting the cavern in its upper surface. _I don't think he would willingly leave this, _he privately mused.

"Zero, sir."

The Winged Knight faced a GM carrying a tattered light blue scrap of cloth. "Can you verify that this matches Titan's apparel?" The other five GMs were scoping the area with optical sensors and metal detector wands. Their Gunperry rested, ramp extended, within the clearing.

Zero, after one look, sighed at the grass, hiding his eyes beneath his visor. "Yes. That is his." He fingered the shield's dent. "Have you found… remains?"

"No, sir."

"Then, we must continue the search. He could be nearby."

"Yes, sir. Do you sense any magic?"

Zero shook his head. "Any magical energy has dissipated. It has been at least several days since Titan last cast a spell in this area."

The GM saluted and marched toward the Gunperry to relay his orders.

_I hope not to deliver sad news to Lady Aleda, _Zero pondered. A prick entered his GunSoul at the thought of his Little Wing. _I feel as if something has already gone terribly amiss during my absence. _

…

Captain rapidly inscribed equations and algorithms on the lined paper with one hand while skimming the pages of a thick textbook with his eyes. He sat at the kitchen table, doing Shute's homework, and Mark sorted clean dishware from the dishwasher into various cabinets while bouncing Nana on his hip. "We're going to have some yummy spaghetti tonight, Nana," Mark cooed. "You'll have a happy tummy, won't you~?"

He placed the final plastic bowl in a cabinet and turned to watch his little man. Laughing, he said, "Shute, I think you should watch where your hand's going."

Captain shifted his gaze to the page of homework. "Oh." The numbers and letters slanted together and spilled onto the table. "That's strange. I can usually do it without thinking."

"I guess you're not feeling yourself, today," Mark said as he playfully swung Nana. "Woo, woo~!" he cooed to the baby.

"I guess I'm not."

Mark hefted Nana into the crook of his arm and turned to Captain. "It be good for you to see your friends. How about you go play with Captain?"

Captain's eyes glimmered for a second, but then he frowned. "But, I was suspended from school. It doesn't seem right that I should spend disciplinary time with friends."

"I'll let you off because it was a mistake." Mark winked. "Go on and meet them."

The boy, beaming, slid the sheet of homework into the textbook, closed it, stood, and politely pushed in his chair. "Thank you, father."

"You're welcome, son."

Captain fast-walked to the door, barely able to suppress his delight long enough to make a dignified exit.

"Be back in time for dinner!" Mark called after him.

"Yes, sir!"

The door shut.

Mark bounced Nana in his arms. "Once your mom comes home, I can go back to work, Nana," he said with a grin. "Since I'm here, though, wanna hear a new song?"

"Daa-da," Nana bubbled with a grin.

…

Captain grinned to see himself waiting at the Gunperry bay. "Shute!" he called with a short wave as he stepped down the gangplank of his Gunperry transport.

"Captain!" Shute ran forward excitedly.

The two met in the middle, and Shute cautiously slowed his movements; he wanted to give a hug to his best friend, but…

Captain, smiling, briefly hugged him instead to save him the scare of possibly misjudging his new strength. "It's great to see you."

"I'm so glad to see you, too!" Shute waved him towards the exit of the hangar. "Come on, let's go see the others!"

Captain nodded and followed.

They walked side-by-side down the teal-walled halls. "You're here a little earlier than I thought you would be," Shute said.

Captain averted his gaze. "I was suspended."

"Oh."

"Yes."

"…What?!" Shute's blue optical sensors jerked to him.

"John was ripping Margaret's artwork, and I tried to stop him," Captain explained regretfully, "but it seems that my physical intervention was against the rules."

Shute braked. "What did you do?!"

"I tried to physically restrain him," Captain said with an edge of irritation, "but I did not harm him or assault him in any way, as that would violate my ethical programming. The school rules mandate no physical contact, and because of that I was suspended."

"But, they… they think _I _did it," Shute groaned.

Agitation gave way to guilt. "I'm sorry, Shute. I never meant to cause you trouble. The principal said that it would probably be erased from your record as long as no more aggressive behaviors are observed."

Shute rubbed the floor with his red toes. "I guess that's something." He looked up. "What else did you do?"

Captain beamed. "I ate food! My first meal was your mother's fried pork cutlets."

"Fried pork cutlets? Aw, man! I wish I could've had some!"

The robot-turned-man locked his friend's gaze with wide, admiring eyes. "The sensation of taste is amazing, Shute! It felt so… delicious!"

Shute laughed. "I'm glad you got to taste it. I've missed eating, a bit."

Captain vigorously nodded. "I can sympathize now with humans who consume food for pleasure instead of for nourishment. The taste was very enjoyable!"

"I know, right?"

"And also, the sensation of adrenaline is incredible! I am impressed by how easily the human body detects and reacts to a dangerous situation." Captain touched a hand to his heart. "I could feel my heartbeat strongly, and the increase in temperature throughout my body must have meant that my blood-flow had increased."

Shute cocked his head. "Was that adrenaline from John?"

Captain bobbed his head yes. "You are still… concerned?"

"Nah, not really," Shute sighed. Flashing a smile, he said, "I can handle it. You were just trying your best, right?"

"Yes, just as I know you have."

"Yeah." Memories of his secret training session with Guneagle ran through his processor, but Shute withheld them; a stickler for the rules like Captain would report the incident, no matter who begged him otherwise. "Thanks for covering for me, Captain." He started to move, again, and Captain fell into step with him.

"You're welcome, Shute. Thank you for bearing with my frame. I know that it is very different from your usual experience."

Shute's face fell, but his mouth's corners could not curl to match his feelings. His inner software replayed the moving images of his body's Captain-controlled face, shining with the wonder of human taste. "Captain?"

"Yes, Shute?"

"You like being this way, don't you?"

Captain turned his green eyes to the ceiling and hummed, "In some ways, yes. But, I still lack the comfort of my own frame. Why?"

The metallic boy marched on for a moment before replying, "It's nothing."

Captain raised an eyebrow.

…

Chief Haro fussed his green mask into alignment as he entered the observation deck. "Sorry for the sudden departure. What is the status?" he asked Juli.

"Zero's search party reached the target site and has located a shield and a torn cape belonging to Titan," Juli reported grimly. "But, they have not found Titan. Zero wants to continue searching."

"So do I. They can spend another three days searching before we bring Zero back to base."

The door hissed open, and gold-edged heels clacked into the room. "Chief Haro?" Aleda began, her wings partially folded against her back as she, with hunched shoulders, approached him.

"Yes, Aleda? What is it?" Chief Haro asked, not unkindly.

"I want to figure out how to help Shute and Captain. Could I, um, have the spell book?" she squeaked.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"But, I—"

"Zero is the expert in magic, so I am going to defer to his judgment," Chief Haro stated. "In the meantime, your job is to rest. Keep in mind that Zero may need your assistance to undo the spell."

Aleda's frame loosened. "I hadn't thought of that…"

"Are you feeling better since yesterday?"

"Yeah. I don't feel very tired."

Chief Haro nodded. "Good. I'm glad. Be sure to visit Chief Kao Lyn today so that he can check your energy levels."

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed. Make sure you relax."

"Yes, sir." Aleda click-clacked out.

Chief Haro sighed once she had left, "It's hard keeping track of all of these children."

Juli giggled. "Do you have any of your own, Chief?"

"Yes. Some of them are on this base." He turned to her. "Speaking of which, don't you have further reports to give me?"

"Shute and Captain Gundam are currently in the training room with Gunbike. Captain is on standby as you ordered, but Shute and Bakunetsumaru are performing exercises. Both Captain and Shute appear to be in top condition."

"Good. I'd like to speak with both Shute and Captain when they finish."

"I'll relay that to them, sir."

…

The two friends obeyed Haro's orders and met him in his office after Gunbike had soaked Captain in his own sweat. "I've… never felt… such a... sensation before," Captain panted as he tottered down the hall. "My heart beat… so fast and… everything burned…" he gulped in another breath, "and then the pain stopped… Human body chemicals… are amazing!"

"I think you let Gunbike push you too far," Shute said, watching him in worry. "Humans can do more than what's healthy for them without realizing it. You need to be careful."

"I guess… I just… didn't want to… stop before I… had to…"

"Keep your arms over your head, remember?"

Captain threw his arms overhead. "Right," he croaked.

"I'm a bit worried, too, because Gunbike thinks I'm that tough, now." Shute watched his fingers flex, contemplating the differences from his natural body.

"Sorry…" Captain wheezed.

By the time they reached the Chief's office, Captain had nearly caught his breath. They stepped in, and Chief Haro rose from his chair. "I see you worked hard, Captain. Your face is very red," Haro said. "Make sure that you take care of that body, though."

Captain's chest heaved. "Yes, sir."

"Well, let's review today's events, so far. How are you functioning, Shute?"

"I'm fine, sir." Shute flashed a happy emote. "It's been interesting seeing everything the way Captain does."

"No incidents to report?"

"No, sir!" Shute chirped.

"Good." Chief Haro turned his dotted eye holes to Captain. "Captain, I hear that you had an eventful day."

Captain dropped his green eyes. "Yes, sir. I unintentionally violated the rules of Shute's school and was suspended as a result. I've greatly inconvenienced Shute and his parents."

"It sounds like Shute needs to explain more about school," Chief Haro said, which drew both pairs of eyes to him. "And, Shute may need pointers, as well. I want you both to exchange information for the next two hours. Tell each other every rule and detail about your daily lives."

The boys saluted him. "Yes, sir!"

…

"The morning work is a worksheet next to the door when you walk in," Shute explained to Captain. The two sat on a couch in the lounge, exchanging information as per Chief Haro's orders. "It usually has math problems on it. Once you're done with it, then you read a book from your book box."

"Book box?"

"They're labeled with everyone's names. You can find them on top of the library shelves."

"That bookcase?"

"Yeah." Shute scratched the back of his helmet bashfully. "So, you'll be reading my comic books."

"You're not the only one with comic books, Shute, so you shouldn't be embarrassed," Captain said. "Margaret was also reading a comic, today."

Shute chuckled, each chortle reverberating through his metal frame. "I guess so."

"Shute?"

Shute looked at Captain, who sported a quizzical wrinkle in the bridge of his nose. "What does 'nerd' mean?"

"Um..." Shute eyed his lap. "It means someone who is into certain things, like computers, games, and cartoons and stuff."

"I don't understand why John and Rob would make fun of someone for liking those things," Captain said. Then, pointedly, "Shute, have they ever made fun of you for being a 'nerd'?"

"Uh, well..." Shute sighed. "Yes, they've made fun of me, but not a whole lot. It's not worth picking a fight with them, so I ignore them most of the time, and they get bored of picking on me."

Captain clenched a skin-sheathed hand. "That's not fair to you, Shute. Why did you never tell us? I'm sure we can find another venue of education."

"It's fine, Captain," Shute insisted. "The teachers keep it under control, and I feel pretty safe in school. I learn a lot, and I talk with Sayla all the time." His eyes flashed happy at the thought. "And I get to work with everyone in group projects."

"Shute...who are your friends at school?" Captain inquired.

"Huh?"

"Your friends. I noticed that, after school, you only spend time with Zero, Bakunetsumaru, Aleda, and me as friends." Shute felt his own green eyes bore searchingly into him. "Shute, do you have friends at school?"

Shute huffed, "Sayla's my friend."

"And...?"

"And that's it. Sayla's my friend from school, and you guys are my best friends."

Captain looked away, a sad frown on his face.

Shute's voice softened. "Hey, Captain, it's okay. I have you and Zero and Baku, now. I'm happy with you guys."

Captain pressed his lips into a bittersweet smile. "I'm happy that I mean so much to you, Shute."

"Don't worry about it, Captain. You guys are enough."

A corner of Captain's smile lifted. "Thanks."

…

"Bakunetsumaru." Chief Haro stood to greet the Musha Gundam entering his office.

Baku bowed. "Sir."

"I wanted to ask you a quick question."

"Sure."

"If it's too uncomfortable, you don't have to answer it," Haro said. "I was wondering what it means when the GunSouls of Gundams in Sola Diorama glow?"

"Uh…" Beads of moisture collected on Baku's helm. _Drat, they're onto them! _"…It means that it's getting extra power from something."

"Oh." The beady mask eyes blinked yellow. "Then, what does it mean if, say, two Gundams are glowing together? Theoretically?"

The beads started to slide down the grooves of Baku's helmet horns. "That means they've synchronized, like Shute and Captain."

"Hmm." Chief Haro touched the lips of his mask in thought. "I see. So, that means—would mean—they have a deep emotional attachment and closeness."

"Yeah. That's all it is." Baku grinned innocently.

"That's an interesting feature of Gundams," Chief Haro pondered. "Well, that was all I wanted to ask, Bakunetsumaru. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity."

"Sure." Baku bowed and left, silently hoping that he had not indirectly hinted at his knight friend's secret.

…

Aleda sat at her desk with her notebook open at a blank page, tapping the tabletop with her pencil. _I'm not sure what to draw. _Disheartened thoughts darkened her green eyes. _All I can think about is what I did, and what Zero's going to say. _Sickness and aching filled her GunSoul, a poisonous concoction mixed by the clash of her yearning for the knight and her dread of their next meeting.

After a few minutes of sitting, however, Aleda's vision blurred and dimmed, and fatigue beckoned her. She pushed her notebook to make room for her head on the desk. _Just a little nap… _

…

Knocks woke her. _"Aleda?" _

Her eyescreens flashed on. "What…?"

_"Aleda?"_ the voice called, again. Baku's.

Aleda raised her head and rubbed her eyes. "Coming," she yawned.

_"Are you okay?" _Baku yelled. _"I'm kinda hungry, by the way." _

She glanced at the clock. _8:45 pm_. "What?!" She bolted out of the chair. "Oh, no!"

Aleda flew to the door and opened it to her samurai friend. "I'm so sorry! I overslept!" she spouted to his wide, pleading brown eyes. "I closed my eyes for just a minute! I didn't know I'd sleep for so long!"

"Is there any food?" Baku whimpered.

She cringed. "No. I'm sorry. I didn't get to cook, today."

"That's okay," he sighed, "You're tired, so—"

His energy processor interrupted with a loud growl.

"I'll get you leftovers from the freezer," Aleda said.

"Thanks."

…

Three days passed, and Captain returned to school armed with Shute's advice and instructions. This time, he tried to ignore John and Rob's comments. "Here comes the only nerd to get suspended." "Yeah, he's lucky my parents don't sue him." Captain swiped the morning work sheet from a bin beside the door on the way to Shute's seat. Margaret slowed her writing to peer at him out of the corner of her eye. On his other side, Sayla waved.

"Welcome back, Shute. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I am," Captain said with a smile.

"Good," Sayla said sweetly. "I hoped you wouldn't get into too much trouble. You're smiling, so it must be alright."

Captain nodded. "I made it through." He felt around inside his desk and pulled out a pencil. "I should start doing my morning work, now."

Sayla smiled again. "Yes, I should, too."

And so, they did.

At lunch, Captain found Sayla again—the only familiar face to him—and sat beside her. "Hello, Shute," Sayla cheerily greeted him.

"Hello, Sayla," Captain returned amiably.

"Sayla," said another girl poking Sayla's arm on her other side, "what are we doing in the baking club, today?"

The blond's purple eyes immediately centered on her friend. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun! Today, we're making cheesecakes!"

As Sayla began to chatter with the girl, Captain exercised his domestic chopstick practice to, though stiffly, scoop white rice into his mouth. A tray of food landed beside him on the long table, and he looked to see Margaret, ears red, sliding her Capri-hugged legs into the seat. "Hello, Margaret," Captain said.

"Hi, Shute," she returned in her low-pitched voice. "I, uh, wanted to say thanks for sticking up for me on Tuesday."

Captain beamed with a rice-speckled mouth. "You're welcome."

"I'm sorry you got in trouble for it."

"No, it's alright. It was my fault."

The girl pulled open her milk carton. "Did you really like my drawings?"

"Yes. They remind me of a friend who likes to design new tech." Captain chewed another bite of rice before adding, "Those armed mobile citizens that you drew… did you see them in the news?"

Margaret's blue eyes lit with excitement. "Yeah! They're making a movie, and they looked so cool that I had to draw them!"

Captain raised an eyebrow. "Really? You think they're cool?"

"Of course! But, the one with the rifle hasn't been at the filming site. I wish he'd show up, again."

"Oh?"

"You know which one I'm talking about, right? He was on the news for a bit in that fight scene with the Ferris wheel, before they took down the videos."

"Yes, I know the one." Captain could not help but grin.

"Oh! Of course you do," Margaret said. "You're one of the extras, aren't you, Shute?"

Captain blinked. "Huh?"

"I've seen you in some of the filming. You've been working with those mobile citizens." Margaret leaned in eagerly. "Hey, tell me, have _you_ seen the rifle robot?"

Captain swayed backwards nervously, centimeters from Sayla's golden tresses, and stuttered, "I—um, well—uh, yes." His body flushed with warmth.

Margaret's face shone blindingly bright. "Oh, my gosh, Shute! That's awesome! Who is he?! What's his name?!" Nearby tablemates—and even some at an adjacent table—glanced at them.

"C-C…" Captain swallowed to regain his bearings; the situation had triggered an adrenaline rush, he deduced from the heat in his cheeks. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Margaret withdrew. "You have to keep it a secret?"

Captain nodded, cringing apologetically. "If I don't, then I cannot work with them."

A grin still plastered her face. "I get it. It's okay. I'll have to wait until the movie comes out."

"It will make a good surprise," Captain reassured her. _This is stretching my honesty protocols, _he internally fret.

"Oh! I was wondering: do you know a lot about mobile citizens?"

"Yes, I do." Captain licked the sticky rice from his lips. When some grains failed to unstick, he grimaced and rubbed his mouth and cheeks with a napkin.

Margaret laughed and faced her food, blushing. "That's right. I need to let you eat, don't I?"

"Probably. And, you should eat, too, or else we will both have insufficient energy for our afternoon classes."

The girl sucked down her milk in one three-second gulp. "So, what do you think of the new expressions software that they're releasing for the mobile citizens?"

Captain swallowed a bite of broccoli. "New software?"

"The mobile citizen movie stars are really expressive. Have you noticed? Especially the red one and the one with the cape."

"Yes, they are very expressive. The programming is impressive, and I look forward to seeing other mobile citizens gain their abilities."

"There's another mobile citizen who acts as an extra, but he's still figuring out the expressions," Margaret laughed. "You know, the one with a face?"

Captain gave a tight chuckle. "Oh, yes, him."

"It's cute, though."

The chopsticks stopped above the rice, and Captain's cheeks reddened. "Cute?"

"Yeah, the cluelessness is adorable."

"Hahaha. Yes. Cute." Captain shoved a bite of shrimp in his mouth before he could make a face—because with the mixed feelings he was experiencing, he wasn't sure what expression would come out.

…

Shute swung a punch at Guneagle, who spun, smacking him with one of his huge wings. "Ow!" Shute yelled.

Guneagle bowled him from behind and pinned him to the floor of the storage room with his arms and an angled wing. "Stop saying 'ow,' Shute. It never hurts!"

"You say it all the time!" Shute growled as he tried to wriggle himself from Guneagle's grip.

"I get surprised, okay?!"

Shute's head rotated to shoot him an angry face. "I do, too!"

Guneagle rolled and smooshed Shute with his wide wings. "This is fun," he laughed. Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "Though, we still have a lot of work to do. You have to punch like you mean it, Shute."

Shute felt the weight on his back lift. "But, I don't want to hurt you," he protested as he pushed himself up. He could see the proud, tall flier walk in front of him, his frame edged in shadows under the dim lighting.

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." The flier offered a hand. Shute took Guneagle's hand and let him help pull him to his feet. "And," Guneagle added, "we moved all the equipment against the walls, so you don't have to worry about hitting those, either. You just need to worry about actually landing a hit on me!"

"I guess that should be what I worry about, at this rate."

Guneagle bumped his shoulder playfully. "You have tons of programming in there that can move your frame exactly how you want it to. You just gotta let it run."

"Okay." Shute spread his feet. "I'll try not to hold back."

Guneagle leapt. Shute struck at the mouthguard, but Guneagle shielded his face with a hand, and Shute threw his other fist at his torso. To Shute's surprise, his metal knuckles glanced off a sharp corner, instead. Guneagle rammed him with his bulky shoulder armor, and Shute, grabbing hold of the piece, spun his heel-wheels to keep his footing.

"That's better," Guneagle said. Then, he brought his other arm around. "Now, you gotta think things through!"

A flash of grey pounded Shute's forehead, knocking the child on his back, and a fearsome mass of wings and joints jumped to crush him. Shute rolled and, upon hearing the thud of Guneagle's landing, thwacked his back with one leg. "Ow!"

"You said it, again!" Shute accused.

Guneagle chuckled as they stood. "I was surprised. You managed to pull a fast one on me!" He raised a hand. "Good job! High-five, kid!"

Shute, laughing, slapped his palm. "Thanks!"

…

"How was school?" Shute asked Captain as they sat on a couch in the lounge.

"It was fun," Captain said with a smile. "I talked with Margaret at lunch."

"Cool." Shute grinned. "Did you talk to Sayla, too?"

"I spoke with her briefly in the morning, but during lunch she talked with other girls."

"What?" Shute flashed the sad emote, a set of black cartoon eyes sloping outward. "But, Captain, I don't want her to think I'm ignoring her!"

Captain wrinkled his forehead. "I didn't ignore her. I've conversed with her."

"You talked with another girl at lunch, though, and not her."

"I understand. I'll speak with both Margaret and Sayla tomorrow during lunch."

"You're eating lunch together again, tomorrow?"

"Yes. We agreed to eat together, tomorrow, because we enjoyed each other's company." Captain beamed. "You should speak with her more, Shute. She likes robot tech a lot, like you."

"I guess. It sounds like she'd be fun to talk to." Shute leaned back in the couch. "I wonder if people will think that she's my girlfriend, though…"

"I am not sure what exactly constitutes an attractive human date, but I don't see any reason not to consider Margaret."

Shute sighed. "Sure, Captain…"

...

Neotopia came into view of a digital "window" projection within the Gunperry. Zero gazed across to the towers that branched in the skyline, but all he could see were emerald eyes.

"Zero," called back the pilot, causing him to turn. "We've received communications that there is an urgent situation at White Base."

The Winged Knight frowned. "What is it?"

"Aleda, Shute, and Captain Gundam have been involved in an accident concerning magic."

Zero rocked. "What?!"

"They all appear to be recovered, now, but there are, according to the report, 'Unusual side effects' in Captain Gundam and Shute that require your attention."

Zero put a hand to the wall to steady himself. "They are all uninjured?"

"Yes. They are in no immediate danger."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Mana…"

"We dock in fifteen minutes."

"Aye." The Lacroan nodded. _It must have been the spell book. What have I done? _he internally agonized.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Three guesses as to Zero's reaction when he gets in White Base. XD No, seriously, leave them in the reviews, because I'd love to see them! Though, I can't guarantee that I'll actually tell you if you're right or wrong before I post the next chapter ;) I'm interested to see your predictions.

Captain and Shute have started to get away from me a bit in this arc. XD I never imagined that they'd start brewing a bit of tension/disconnect between them, but I'll roll with it.

So, (regretfully,) my school and new work start up again next week, and the updates will have to slow down so that I don't forget about these other very important things. Expect the next chapter in about 1 and ½ to two weeks.

-Penelopi

August 31, 2015: Just wanted to let my readers know that I posted a poll on my profile page asking what characters you wanted to see more of in this fic. Please vote!

August 31, 2015: Update on my traffic stat bug: it is fixed! But please, do review! I want to hear from you all!

September 2, 2015: The traffic stat bug is back. (Whyyyy?!) Please, please review!

September 5, 2015: The error seems to be gone for good, this time, but please review! As I've seen noted on forms, there are big gaps in the traffic stats during the times when people were affected by this error, so I'm still a little blind, here.


	16. Thank You for Everything

**Author's Notes**

It took a while, but to make up for it, this chapter is super-long! (Sorry, guys, I just had to reach a certain point in this chapter for the pacing to feel right.) Thank you, _Titanic X_, for bearing with me and reading through all of this! Seriously, to all my readers, you ought to thank her for reading through over 6.5k words to make edits XD

Many of these scenes required a lot of revision and re-imagining in order to make them work due to the subtlety and complexity of the character interactions and emotions I was trying to convey. Let me know if it all turned out believable and if it flowed well.

Another note: I have a poll about character inclusion on my profile. More details down in the author's notes below Chapter 16.

**Disclaimer**

Sunrise and Bandai own SD Gundam Force. If I owned it, I'd write the first season differently XD My OCs featured/mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Myles, "Via" (full name is Viatrix Vaughn—yes, I come up with weird names), Margaret, John, and Rob.

* * *

**Chapter 16: "Thank You for Everything" **

The playground had everything: swings and slides, monkey bars and pull-up bars, see-saws and merry-go-rounds. And, initially, Captain had thrown himself into these play items wholeheartedly, experiencing the thrills of his muscles straining and his body twisting differently in each exercise. He had wondered that humans could find exercise so enjoyable as to call it play, until he himself had experienced how, strangely, pounding heartbeats and gasping lungs brought elation to his brain. The feel of the wind on his face while swinging on a simple rope contraption had made him smile, and the dizziness when he tottered off a merry-go-round had earned a laugh. Boy, Shute had it good!

But, Captain felt another kind of elation around Margaret. He gladly welcomed her to sit beside him on the swings, and they often took turns spinning each other on the merry-go-round. Around her, his stomach twisted absent of hunger or illness, and his face felt hot before the play even started. So, when Margaret one day chose to bring a folder, paper, and pencils outside, instead, Captain gladly chose to sit on a bench with her instead of play alone.

"What is this one?" Captain asked, pointing over her arm to an image of a sharp-edged dragon.

"It's a mecha-dragon," Margaret said proudly. "I like dragons a lot, too, so I thought it would be cool. There are no real dragons, but a mechanical one would work."

"Actually, there is at least one real dragon that I know of," Captain blurted before his organic brain could consider the consequences.

Margaret raised an eyebrow. "You're joking."

Captain laughed nervously. "Well…"

"Are you serious?" Her blue eyes lit with hope. "How is it real?"

"The one I saw was made of pure energy. I don't know how it came to exist."

Margaret lowered her voice and hissed into his ear, causing it to burn, "Where did you see it?!"

Captain shook his head. "I can't tell. I might be disciplined merely for telling you that I saw it."

Margaret pursed her lip.

"It is no longer in this world, anyways," Captain added. "You cannot see it, anymore."

"Are you sure you're not teasing me?"

"I would never lie."

Margaret cocked her head. "Could you draw it for me?"

Captain wrinkled his forehead. "Really? I've never drawn, before."

"Yeah, go ahead and try," she said with a smile.

"Okay," Captain mumbled uncertainly as he grasped the pencil and paper. "Right here?" He pointed the pencil tip to an open space below Margaret's mechanical dragon.

"Sure."

Captain dragged the lead to trace a line. He squinted. Fenn's image in his mind's eye wavered and shifted. Once he traced one line, the whole sketch appeared different from his original intent, and he found himself tempted to graft his work to a new angle. This process repeated itself multiple times before Captain grumbled, "I can't reproduce the image."

Margaret giggled. "Aw, you're doing great for the first time!"

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're trying to copy a picture and not just making shapes like most other people."

Captain smiled, and his cheeks warmed. He resumed his slow, methodical pencil strokes.

"Aww, look at the lovebirds!"

The two children jumped and traced the voice to John and Rob, who sneered at them. "Nerd boy has a nerd girlfriend, now!"

Margaret glared. "Leave us alone!" she commanded while Captain burned red.

The boys laughed.

"It's not like that!" the girl insisted.

"We're friends!" Captain chimed in.

Their tormentors laughed themselves away, wandering past the merry-go-round to their next amusement. Other classmates whispered and snuck glances, but none approached, and soon everyone returned to their play or talk. Swings pumped. See-saws creaked. Voices chattered. The nerds were left to idle alone in their awkwardness.

Captain and Margaret waited for the discomfort that had nosed itself between them to somehow disappear, both blushing.

Eventually, Captain said, "Maggie?"

"Yeah, Shute?"

Captain sadly pondered the drawing on his lap, a lopsided attempt at Fenn's right wing and toothy face. "I want to stay friends forever, but… I'm going to change a lot, soon."

Margaret's blue eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain. I may not act the same, anymore. I'm going to undergo a... procedure that will alter my memories."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Why? Is there something wrong with your brain?"

"You could say that." He sank into the bench as heavily as if he had already reverted to his dense Gundam frame.

"So, we... won't be friends, anymore?"

Captain's green eyes flared. "No, we will still be friends," he said, meeting her gaze. "I promise. Even if things change, we'll still be friends."

Margaret gave a small, bitter smile. "Okay, then. I'll hold you to that."

…

Aleda slid a plate into the dishwasher, but her worry-clouded eyes contemplated other things. Word had come that they had not yet located Titan; the GMs remained to continue the search, but Zero was returning—and he would arrive at base that day. Aleda's GunSoul tightened.

Kao Lyn bobbed into the kitchen. "Hello, Aleda!" he greeted with a grin.

"Hi," Aleda chirped.

"I'm just here to get a snack," Kao Lyn said as he bounced to the pantry closet next to the sink, opposite the fridge. He opened the door and peered in. "Mmmm, bagels!" His short grey ponytail wiggled as he extracted said breads. "And cream cheese!"

Aleda giggled to herself, pulling open a drawer of silverware and removing a butter knife. Kao Lyn, walking through with a bag of bagels and a tub of cream cheese in hand, smiled at the offered utensil. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He took the knife, unloaded his cargo at the kitchen table, and unwound the bagel bag's tie. "So, Zero comes home, today."

Aleda, in the middle of placing a glass in the top rack of the dishwasher, flinched. "Y-Yeah."

Kao Lyn chuckled. "Are you worried?"

"Yeah," she sighed as she nestled the glass in safely.

"He won't be too mad. You're a charming lady, after all."

The Gundamess flushed. "Thanks."

Kao Lyn swathed a generous lump of cream cheese on a bagel slice. "But, I hear you're unsatisfied with your contributions to our team."

Gloom weighed Aleda's shoulders. "Kind of. I feel like giving people extra food isn't enough."

"Well, it's certainly not extra for the residents, like Zero and Baku. But, if you wanted to do more, I have a favor to ask."

She looked at his kooky glasses attentively.

"I'd like to study your functions some more, now that you've matured," Kao Lyn said. "I made many useful observations when you were a small child, but my knowledge of Gundams is still incomplete without information from an adult female."

"Oh…um…" She grimaced.

"Just scans." Kao Lyn waved to dismiss her fears. "Nothing too invasive." He bit into a cream-cheese-loaded slice.

"O…kay…" Aleda cautiously released her frown. "What would you do with it?"

"I'm hoping someday that mobile citizens can experience the companionship of having mates." Kao Lyn grinned, his mustache edged with white clumps. "I think it would make many of them very happy! But, to do that, I need enough data to create suitable counterparts."

"Oh." Aleda squirmed. "Um, I guess I can help, if it's just scans."

The scientist danced excitedly. "Thank you! Thank you! I'm sure it'll make Captain, Guneagle, Gunbike, and everybody so happy!"

Aleda cracked a weak smile in reply.

...

Zero shot from the Gunperry before its plank had fully lowered. Baku, walking into the hangar, beheld a blur of blue swerving his way. "Woah!" He leaned away but still received a sharp lash from the knight's cape. "Zero!" he protested as the Lacroan, becoming conscious of his error, momentarily slowed. "What are you doing?!"

"Sorry," Zero said quickly, before demanding, "Where is Lady Aleda?" His eyes were charged with worry, and his frame was tense as a rusted door hinge.

"Relax! She's fine! Let's go to the meeting, and you'll see her there," Baku said.

"What happened to them?"

"Chief Haro will tell you. Come on."

The samurai started walking, and Zero floated beside him while his eyes and body strained at the edge of an invisible leash. "They're all doing okay," Baku said. "They're not in any danger."

Zero nodded, but his pace soon drew him far ahead of the Musha Gundam. Baku rolled his eyes and jogged to catch up.

…

Aleda waited in Kao Lyn's lab with Shute, Captain, Chief Haro, and Kao Lyn himself. Anxiety crawled through her energy processor, and her wings hung low. Shute squirmed, but Captain patiently stood at attention.

The door slid open. Aleda's GunSoul pulsed, and her green eyes zoomed to the entrance. Sure enough, her knight floated in. And, though she had only mustered enough courage to check for an instant, her visual receptors caught on him and couldn't leave. While she stared like a deer in headlights, Zero's gaze scanned the three friends before him, and he, meeting her eyes, landed on the floor as lightly as always and walked her way. Baku rounded into the room. Zero, face contorting with an indiscernible mixture of expressions, stepped to his lady. Aleda's wings huddled against her back in the face of her doom.

Zero stopped in front of her with trembling hands that rose, stalled, and fell. "…Are you alright, milady?"

"I'm fine," she squeaked. Kao Lyn hummed distractedly.

The knight stepped closer, reaching. Aleda stayed still as he touched her cheek and closed his eyes. After a long pause, during which Aleda fought against rapid poundings in her chest, he sighed and opened his visual receptors. His hand released her, leaving behind a lingering scorch on her epidermal encasing. "…Your magic energy is low, but your body does not seem strained," Zero finally said.

Aleda nodded her red-glowing face.

The panic in his eyes died down into warm concern. "What happened?"

Her eyes dipped. "I used a spell you told me not to…"

"From this." Chief Haro came forward and handed Zero the _Anthology of Modern and Ancient Magic. _

Zero bowed as he accepted the book. "I am deeply sorry." Turning to Captain and Shute, he asked, "What were the effects?"

"We switched," Shute said.

The Knight Gundam raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"I am Captain, and this is Shute." Captain pat Shute's metal arm.

Zero stumbled back. "Oh, Mana!"

"I'm sorry," Aleda squeaked.

Chief Haro continued, "We need your assistance to reverse the spell."

Hidden behind his armor, Zero's gaping mouth shut. "Which one was used?" He flipped the book open, and Captain, Shute, and Aleda huddled around, while Baku peered curiously over their shoulders.

"We used a spell in Ancient Lacroan," Captain answered him.

Zero's blue eyes widened, but he quietly flipped to the proper section. They scanned the pages until Aleda gingerly slid a hand across to point. "That one…"

"_That_ one?" The Winged Knight echoed in shock.

"A mind-reading spell," Shute said. "We cast it exactly as it said we should, but something went wrong."

"This is no mind-reading spell!" Zero exclaimed. "This is a mind-exchange spell! It switches the consciousnesses of two people."

Aleda jolted as if the book had burned her.

"So… this was how it was supposed to work?" Shute asked.

Zero nailed a serious stare into each of their optics. "This is a powerful, dangerous spell that requires an immense amount of magical energy. It would render my magic useless for days." The book rattled in his shaking hands. His eyes fixed on his lady. "Any of you three could have died."

"I'm sorry," Aleda said, drawing back in shame.

Baku placed a warning hand on Zero's shoulderguard, and the knight stilled.

"Can you fix it?" Chief Haro asked.

After a deep breath, Zero spoke, "There are only two ways to break the spell. One is to cast this spell, here—" His finger underlined another passage near the bottom of the page. "—and the other is for the switched persons to synchronize."

"Synchronize?" Shute queried.

Baku pounded his chest. "The Soul Drive activation! That happens when you two synchronize."

"Oh. That should be a piece of cake. Right, Captain?" Shute flashed his grinning emote at his best friend.

Captain nodded. "Not a problem."

"We'll just do what we always do."

"Right."

"Shute, Captain," Zero spoke, catching their attention. His blue eyes bore into them. "Before anything else happens, I want you to know that you are both in a delicate state. The spell has linked your very lives together. If either of you should be killed while in the other's body, the both of you will perish."

Several eyes widened, and a gasp sounded. Kao Lyn gaped in alarm, looking at Chief Haro. The masked man made no sound or motion, but any number of faces could have contorted his features and no one would have known.

Zero, narrowing his eyes at the fleshed boy before him, said, "Captain, I say this especially for you, because I know you: do not risk any danger to yourself. You cannot protect Shute that way—not in your current form."

Captain squeezed his fists and nodded. "I understand."

…

The Lady migrated to the kitchen after the meeting to start preparing dinner. Zero at first retreated to his quarters to mull over the spell dilemma and to regain some semblance of composure, in spite of a burning desire to hover close to Aleda as he had done for his princess years ago. Eventually, when the anxious tingling in his body died, he sought his lady in the kitchen.

She slid a full baking pan of doughy cakes into the oven, shut the door, and set the timer. Zero waited for the little button beeps to end before saying, "Good afternoon, milady."

Aleda instantly jolted, the worry in her eyes sharpening into fear as she turned to him. "H-Hi, Zero."

"If you don't mind, may I have some tea?"

"Y-Yeah, sure. Just…" She rushed underneath a cabinet but found that she could not reach it. "…I'll have it in a minute!" She started to levitate.

"Don't!" Zero flew to her, and she immediately dropped to the floor. "Don't use any magic right now," Zero sternly warned. "I'll help you." He floated and retrieved a red teapot.

"Thanks…" Aleda murmured as he handed the pot to her.

"You're welcome, milady." Zero took a seat at the kitchen table to wait, every joint leaking agitation.

Usually, when Zero came for tea or a snack, he and the Lady chatted pleasantly—or, rather, Zero chatted, and Aleda pleasantly listened. On that day, however, Zero's charming voice was absent. The silence stoked tension in the room to unbearable levels.

Aleda nearly tripped over herself handling the boiling pot of earl grey, and the clatter at the stove jerked Zero from his brooding. "Are you alright?!" he called as he stood.

Aleda quickly waved it off. "I'm fine, I'm fine!" She snatched a paper towel to wipe a small spill.

Zero, with a sigh, lowered himself back into his chair. Each passing second demanded effort to keep his frame still instead of summoning a magic tether to tie the girl to him—or at the very least, for him not to quiver at the thought that she had almost drained her life force without his knowledge. With all his skills, he could not even stop the threat of a string of words.

"Here you go." Aleda passed Zero a mug.

"Thank you, milady," he said.

Before he had even finished the words, the anxious Gundamess had already darted to fix her own cup in the kitchen. "You're welcome," she said from the stove.

After a few moments to pour the kettle and slip a stirring spoon in the cup, Aleda slinked to the kitchen table and resignedly slid into the opposite seat.

Zero began with measured tone, "It seems that you had a difficult time while I was away."

Her shoulders bunched tighter. "I'm sorry, Zero," she said, just above a whisper. "I..." She squeezed her hot cup, gulped air, and forced herself to speak evenly. "I disobeyed you because I was feeling too confident," she confessed. "I told myself I was pushing my magic so I could help, but I was just being arrogant."

Zero's barely-restrained anger melted at the sight of his pupil shrinking into herself. "I know you meant no harm, milady," he said, kindly.

"Are you still going to teach me magic?"

"Yes, milady."

"You're not mad I didn't listen to you?"

"I am only a little disappointed."

Instead of the fair, soft-edged chide that he had hoped to convey, Zero witnessed his words rip open a well of hurt. Aleda recoiled and shut her eyes against the tear in her heart. "I'm sorry! I can't believe I did it." The corners of her eyes dampened, and her voice wavered, "I don't d-deserve…" Aleda stopped and rubbed at her eyescreens.

"Milady?" Zero frowned.

She stood from her chair, blinking and rubbing to try to stem the tears long enough to escape. "I'm sorry. I'm feeling tired. I need to rest."

Zero jumped to his feet. "Milady, forgive me! I made a poor choice of words," he said as he quickly moved to her, on the way swiping a napkin from the table. He gently pressed the tissue into her hand. "You have not disappointed me in the slightest. You frightened me, is all. Greatly frightened me." He stilled his hand before she could feel it tremble.

Aleda slowed her breaths and dabbed at her eyescreens with the napkin. In, out. In, out. All the while, Zero held her free hand and watched her without a blink, his face saturated with guilt. At length, Aleda said without a hiccup, "I've been stupid. I wasn't thinking when I used the spell. I'm sorry."

The knight squeezed her hand. "You are not stupid. It was a mistake that you've learned from."

She shook her head, sniffling.

"What is wrong?"

"I keep messing up with magic." Her wings shivered. "And I have the nerve to ask you to keep teaching me."

"I forgive you. It is alright."

"But, Shute and Captain are still—"

Zero firmly grasped her shoulders. "That will soon be remedied. Do not tear yourself apart."

She scrunched up as if to shrink to nothing in his hands. "I've messed up!"

"I have, too, Little Wing," he reassured her, "But it's alright. I'll teach you properly so that you may never make such a grave error, again."

Aleda blinked.

Zero flushed hot. _By the guardian spirits, I used that name out loud! _he groaned inside. He hastily let go of the gaping girl and cleared his voice box. "Well, milady, I see no reason to agonize over it. I will continue to teach you. What is done is done."

At this, the pain returned to her eyes, and the Gundamess looked down. "…Thank you," she mumbled.

Observing her continued inner turmoil, Zero asked, "What is the matter, milady?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

Zero spied memories flashing through her data processor. _Something more troubles her. But, it is not gentlemanly to press her when she is so distressed. _"Lady Aleda."

Aleda looked into his soft eyes. They drew her in slowly, like the fluctuating waters of a beach, gently rolling and retreating, steadily weathering her. With a smile, Zero said, "My only true disappointment is that I have not seen your beautiful smile since I returned." Her cheeks tinted pink, though the said smile had yet to resurface. "Let us forget this offense and enjoy our tea," Zero further encouraged her, extending his hand.

Aleda, with glistening eyes, took his hand, mumbling, "I missed you."

Zero felt the glow coming. He drew nearer, hesitated, then finally pulled her into his arms, sending a jolt through her central cable connections. "I missed you, too," he whispered. The shine of his GunSoul reflected off the gold of his lady's shoulder, and he prayed that, so close, with her face nestled in the crook of his neck, she might not notice.

And, certainly, Aleda's own GunSoul buzzed so loudly in her audio sensors that she found it difficult to note objects in her periphery. The hum of Zero's core sent tiny vibrations through his warm frame that tingled her epidermal sheathing. She felt the easy rise and fall of his breaths against her cheek. Every inch of her absorbed his warmth. Her breath caught, and she clung to her knight. "Zero…"

Zero's heart throbbed at the whisper of his name. He gave her a consoling squeeze but held back, just barely, his wild desire to unclasp her mouthguard. "Don't be afraid, milady," he said. "I will continue to teach you magic, so that you can use it well, and that we may see your smile more often."

"Thank you," Aleda said softly.

The hiss of the door and the clank of metal feet disturbed them. "Hey, guys…!" Baku called as he entered, but he stopped at the sight of the two in a hug, their GunSouls lit, both staring at him red-faced, with water stains marring the lower edges of Aleda's eyescreens. "Well…I'll, uh, see you later!" He rounded and jumped back into the hallway.

The Lacroans' GunSouls puttered dim, and, hot with embarrassment, they released each other. Aleda wiped the moisture on her eyescreens and mouthguard.

Zero's gaze shifted. "Pardon me, milady, for… embracing you without permission."

"No, I—" Her eyes shyly dodged away. "—I-It made me feel better. Thank you, Zero."

"It is nothing, after the consolation you gave me when Fenn was taken."

A smile broke over her face. "Thank you—er, you're welcome—" she stammered. "Uh… I still have to make dinner…"

Zero nodded. "I shan't keep you from it." As he floated to the door, however, he added, "Remember to give yourself a rest, though, milady, and not to use magic."

She beamed. "I will. Thank you."

He smiled at her. "You're always welcome, Lady Aleda."

The knight slipped away, and Aleda released her breath and felt her red cheeks. _I'm hopeless, _she moaned. Then, she noticed the two lonely cups of tea still steaming on the table. Groaning again, she repeated, _I __am_ so _hopeless! _

…

Moments after escaping into the hall, Zero was accosted by the samurai saboteur, who waited just by the next bend. "Is she okay?" Baku asked.

"I believe so."

Baku scratched his helmet. "I'm sorry I ruined the moment."

"It was fine," Zero growled, "Nothing was happening."

"Oh, really?" The dreaded sly grin arose. "Holding a crying girl and synchronizing was nothing?"

Zero, still bearing traces of red on his face, argued, "I was only trying to console her."

"Hugging her is not the way to shake off suspicions, you know."

"I was… I was glowing, Baku!" Zero sputtered. "I couldn't let her see, and I couldn't leave, so I just…!"

"So, you hugged her in order to hide the fact that you like her!" Baku keeled over in laughter and slapped his knee. "That makes so much sense, Zero!" he jeered.

Zero's helmet smoked. "If you have a better idea, then say it!"

"I do have a better idea: go in there and kiss her!"

"I cannot!"

Baku scowled and stomped. "How stubborn can you be?"

"As much as I need to be."

"Are you ever going to tell her?"

"Not until the Dark Axis is defeated," Zero insisted. "Once all of my enemies are vanquished, then my presence will no longer endanger her."

Baku raised a digital eyebrow. "And you think a famous warrior like yourself can ever avoid having enemies?" Zero grit his teeth behind his mouthguard, as Baku continued, sweeping his arm to point out the base around them, "You think being _here _doesn't endanger her?"

"They've never been able to attack White Base. As long as she stays here, hidden, she will be safe," Zero rumbled.

Baku sighed and crossed his arms. "Maybe I'll have to beat a lesson into your thick helm."

"I'd like to see you try, snooping samurai!" retorted the guarded Lacroan.

Baku broke into a grin. "Would you? Then, come on, flower knight! Let's take this to the training room!"

The Winged Knight's glare lost its edge under the playful blows of their familiar banter. "I'll be happy to oblige you, ruffian," he proudly scoffed.

The two raced to the sparring site, one blazing through on his feet and the other gracefully gliding in the air.

...

Shute and Captain made more time for one-on-one hang-outs in order to hasten their synchronization. SDG staff commonly spied them in the bio dome or in the lounge. They watched the clouds above and below. Shute discovered how to bounce a pool ball all over the table like a pinball game and how to, in one shot, scatter balls into every pocket. Captain learned more about pain when he tripped and scraped his knee during a friendly race.

In spite of their experiences, however, not once did Shute's Soul Drive activate. They woke each morning still stuck inside the other's body.

"I miss Mom, Dad, and Nana," Shute sighed, dangling his legs off a wall bordering the entrance to White Base's second floor.

Beside him, Captain said, as he fingered the bandage on his knee, "They've been wondering where 'Captain' is."

"I wish Chief Haro would at least let me see them. I think I have the hang of judging my strength, now. After all, we've been hanging out, and nothing bad's happened."

"Perhaps I can convince him."

"Maybe." Shute zoomed in his view past the sky, to the hills that marked his home. "I wanna get back as soon as I can. I don't know why we can't synchronize. Maybe it's me."

Guilt invaded Captain's eyes and dragged them down. "There is a chance that it is my fault."

Shute turned to him. "Why would you say that, Captain?"

"I..." His lip curled. "I'll miss Margaret. I will no longer be able to spend time with her at school and talk with her about robots."

"Captain..."

"I'm sorry, Shute. I know I should let go so that we can return to normal, but somehow, I am finding it difficult."

"Well…" Shute's optical sensors roved the artificial lawn below as his processor searched for a solution. "Just because you'll be a mobile citizen, again, doesn't mean you can't still see her, right? I'll invite her over, so it's okay, isn't it?"

"That may ease my concerns."

Shute displayed happy eyes, and the two returned to watching the scenery below. A lone SDG staff walked by, her shadow passing through the lattice of tree shade in the evening glow.

"Hey, Captain?"

"Yes, Shute?"

"What Zero said to you… Did he need to say it?"

Captain gave a wry smirk. "Every moment of my operation, I prepare and simulate virtual scenarios of every possible enemy strategy that I can comprehend, and I devise many possible counter-measures. Among the possible counter-measures to imminent loss of life for either you or for any other friend, I have always listed methods that risk my own safety, even to the point of destruction."

Again, Shute keenly felt the limits of his facial expressions. If only he could, he would have gawked wide-eyed at his friend, but as it was, he had to resort to a stare.

"Although I struggle to recreate scenarios with the same vividness and accuracy in this brain, I have continued this practice. I had considered, Shute, in the event that the Dark Axis threatened your life while our consciousnesses were still exchanged, to prioritize your defense over that of your organic body, with the expectation that you could continue your life protected in my sturdier frame." Green eyes met blue. "But, I know now that that would not be an effective way to preserve your life, so I no longer consider that option."

"I don't know what to say, Captain," Shute said. "…Thank you."

Green-tinted light began to shine through the windows surrounding Shute's Soul Drive, and they heard a familiar hum. Their eyes jerked to the Soul Drive chamber. Shute raised a hand to touch the protective frame structure on his chest, in wonder at the sensation: a burning stream passing through his heart, or perhaps sprouting from it, as if his core wanted to fly. Captain held his breath.

The light died, and the hum quieted. The joyful burst left Shute's heart.

"I'm sorry," Captain muttered.

"It wasn't your fault, Captain," Shute reassured him. "It's both of us, right?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"We'll figure it out like we always do. We can do this!"

Captain grinned. "Right."

…

"Hey, come on!" Guneagle begged. "Tell me!"

"No," Aleda said, determinedly fixing her eyes on the stovetop she was swabbing with a rag and cleaner fluid.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No, Guneagle."

The Neotopian Gundam placed his chin on the countertop, and his green eyes enlarged. "Pretty pretty please?"

Aleda huffed, though her unseen lip quivered. _He had the expressions software installed. Why?! _"I can't tell you."

He slid his chin closer and widened his eyes even further. "If you tell me, I'll tell _you_ a secret, too."

Aleda raised an eyebrow. "What secret?"

"About Shute."

She narrowed her eyes. "What about Shute?"

"You have to tell me your secret, first~"

Aleda scanned the kitchen. No one else in sight. She tuned her audios to listen for the door. No one was coming. With a momentary glance toward the camera—which was blocked by the refrigerator—Aleda said, "Alright," and waved him in closer. He leaned, and she floated slightly to reach his audio receptor.

Cupping a hand over her vents, she whispered, "I'm one of the inspirations for Kao Lyn's Gundam designs."

The flier's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Shh! Keep it down!" Aleda hissed with a chuckle.

"Oh!" Guneagle lowered his voice. "Sorry."

"What's your secret?"

"I've been teaching Shute to fight behind the Chief's back."

Aleda gaped. "Really?"

"Yep. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe," Guneagle whispered. "I'm taking good care of him."

"Okay…" Aleda started to pull back.

"Though, he said something scary, today."

Aleda paused. "What?"

They leaned in close again, as Guneagle whispered, "He said that he and Captain can't activate the Soul Drive."

"Why not?"

Guneagle shrugged. "Dunno. All he said is that they were having a hard time."

"Hm."

Guneagle chuckled, "I kind of feel bad. I think your secret was bigger than mine."

Aleda returned momentarily from her reverie and laughed, "I guess."

Guneagle suddenly flinched back. "Hey, wait—what you just said...does that mean you're my mom?!"

Aleda gawked. "Huh?!"

…

"What's wrong, Guneagle?" Baku asked the flier listlessly shuffling past him in the hall.

"My image of Aleda was just shattered," Guneagle whined. "I can never see her as a hot chick, again."

Baku watched him amble off, scratching his head in confusion. Finally, he shrugged. "Eh, that's fine with me."

…

The "secret" that Shute and Captain could not activate the Soul Drive chewed at Aleda's conscience for the rest of her kitchen cleaning routine. But, after she had finished cleaning, she left and found her knight's door.

She knocked. "Zero?"

The Knight Gundam opened it. "Greetings, Lady Aleda." Noticing the worry in her face, he asked, "Is something the matter?"

"Shute and Captain haven't synchronized, yet. Guneagle says they're having trouble."

Zero frowned and, stepping aside, said, "That is troubling. Please, enter, milady."

The Gundamess nodded and drifted in.

The comforter of Zero's bed lay straight and neat. His dresser had a few books and a small, red cushion on top with a worn depression where Fenn had used to sit. On a desk beside the dresser rested the magic tome. Aleda's glance lingered on the spell book.

"Please, have a seat, milady." Zero pushed the desk's chair toward her.

"Thanks." Aleda settled herself lightly into the seat.

"My pleasure." As he had no other chairs, the gentlemanly Gundam remained standing.

"Um, Shute and Captain…" Aleda began, eyes drifting as she wondered how best to begin.

"They cannot activate the Soul Drive?" Zero ventured.

Aleda shook her head. "No, they can't. Guneagle didn't know why, but…"

"Anything keeping those two from synchronizing is something to worry over," Zero said, touching his red chin in thought.

"What should I do?"

Zero blinked. "You, Lady Aleda? You needn't worry," he said. "I'll find a way to reverse the spell."

Aleda twisted her fidgeting hands together. "But, you said that the reversing spell took a lot of energy. I…" Her brow furrowed. "I don't want you to hurt yourself. Couldn't I help, too?"

The knight's frame tensed. "I promise you that I will be safe. My magical abilities are more than enough to successfully cast the spell, so there is no need for you to participate."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am certain. I may feel tired, afterwards, but I will manage. I shan't even lose consciousness."

Aleda fiddled with the edge of her skirt piece. "Does the reversal spell use just as much energy as the swapping spell I cast?"

Zero sighed and stepped closer. "Aye, but as I said, my magic will suffice."

"I feel bad that you have to do that for me, though." Her emerald eyes set on his as he came up to her. "It's possible for two people to cast it, isn't it?" she pleaded.

The Winged Knight held out a hand, which she automatically took. "Please trust me, milady," he said gently as he tugged her to her feet. "All will be well, and we will forget this mishap entirely. I shall prepare to reverse the spell while you return to your duties."

"But—"

"I insist that you allow me to behave as a gentleman."

"But, Zero—"

"I will not yield."

She searched his eyes, trying to slip through the wall that he had erected, but she found no cracks, and her wings drooped.

"Milady." The familiar tenderness returned as he softly asked, "Was there anything else you wished to speak to me about?"

She shook her head.

"Then, I suppose I shall see you tonight at dinner?"

Aleda pressed her lips together. "I…" She squeezed his hand, which shook the knight's blue eyes. "I have to help you."

"Why?"

"I owe it to you and to everyone else who's protected me. I have to help fight the Dark Axis. If I can't even help fix my own mistake, how can I do that?"

Zero's grip on her hand tightened. "Who said you must fight the Dark Axis?"

Her gaze never faltered. "No one did. I just want to, Zero."

The Knight Gundam shook his head. "I cannot allow it."

"Then, why am I here?"

"Because we wanted to help _you_," he said, delivering every word with weight.

Aleda yanked her hand away. "I can't do nothing!"

Zero let her hand go, but his eyes steeled. "And I cannot put you in danger."

"If you have enough magic for it, then it won't hurt me when we use the spell together!"

"You cannot assume that!"

"Let me help! I can do it!"

Zero clenched his fists, and his voice rose into a shout, "No, you can't! You cannot help me!"

Aleda's GunSoul stung sharply. Her wings shrank against her back, and her emerald eyes mirrored pain.

Zero, under the watch of those hurt emerald eyes, exhaled slowly and deeply through his vents, his eyes darkening as he did so, and said, lower, "I'm sorry, milady… You are unable to help fight the Dark Axis."

The Gundamess trembled. With a last brave scowl, she turned and floated to the door.

His GunSoul twisted, and he took an instinctive step forward. "Where are you going, milady?"

"To my room."

The door closed between them.

…

Aleda tapped her wing decal and waited, huddled on her bed, while her audio receptor rang.

A click sounded. _"Hello?" _

"Via?" Aleda's wings perked slightly.

_"Hey, Ally!" _chirped a sweet teenage, feminine voice on the other end. _"What's up?" _

"I'm not doing very well," the Gundamess mumbled.

_"What happened?" _

"A fight with a friend. That's all."

_"Oh. I'm sorry." _Then, whispers tickled the phone.

"Via?"

_"Sorry, I was talking to someone… He wants to talk to you," _Via said, uncertainly.

A tingle traveled through Aleda's core. After a breath, she said, "Sure."

Hisses and bumps scratched at her audios as the phone passed hands, and then a voice came. _"Ally?" _

Her wings shuddered. She took a deep breath. "Hi, Myles."

_"Hey. I hear you found out something." _

"Yeah. I'm not from Earth."

A nervous chuckle tickled her audio. _"That explains a few things." _

"I'm from a different dimension that has magic," Aleda stated joylessly. "Someone from that place told me. He's been teaching me about everything."

_"That's cool… Are you alright, Ally?" _

"No."

_ "What happened?" _

"I messed up, again. I hurt my friends by accident." Her voice box stalled, and her eyescreens watered. "I-I'm just trouble for them."

_"Ally… why don't you come home?" _

Her wings perked.

_"I…" _Myles delicately paused, and then continued, _"…have a surprise for you. I think you'll like it, so please, come home."_

Aleda hesitated, re-sorting her thoughts. Her family waited: those who loved her and needed her. On the other hand, her position in White Base was summed up in four words: _"You cannot help me!" _Kao Lyn's potential use for her schematics seemed a tiny consolation in the face of her egregious mistake, not to mention searing memories that had been consuming her thoughts during the entire incident. _I'll just make more mistakes if I keep using magic. I can't do anything for them, _she told herself.

_"Ally?" _

She breathed.

"…Okay."

…

Zero hovered uncertainly in front of Aleda's door. His Little Wing had not been present at dinner, and instead she had left a note listing what foods she had prepared and stored in the fridge. This had prompted Baku to ask questions, which had then resulted in loud criticisms and a kick to the door. _"Go apologize, pansy knight!" _Baku had yelled at him.

Zero, energy processor churning, raised a hand, paused, exhaled, and knocked. "Milady?" he called.

A few moments passed, but only silence answered.

"Lady Aleda?" He knocked, again.

No reply came.

He pressed his audio receptor to the door. No sound. His energy processor's rolling worsened. Zero punched in the passcode, and the doors parted. "Aleda!" he cried as he drifted in. "Please, answer me!"

The room was dark and quiet. Zero flipped a switch, illuminating a perfectly tidy, bare space. No sketchpads or vases in sight. "Milady?"

A mar on the perfection caught his eye: a paper laying on the pillow of her bed. He flew, picked it up, and read the neat cursive handwriting.

_"To the SDG,_

"_Don't worry about me. I'm going home. I'm sorry that I caused so much trouble. Thank you for everything. Good-bye._

"_Aleda." _

A knock came from the open doorway. "Is everything alright?" Baku asked. Zero, murky-eyed, stared, unresponsive, at the note.

"Zero?" Baku walked next to him and skimmed the page. At each word, his eyes widened. The knight made no resistance as he yanked the paper from him to read it again. "This is bad!" he said. He wheeled to the Knight Gundam. "Hey, Zero, don't worry about curfew. I'll hold the door open myself if I have to! Get going!" But the knight stood still, eyes shaded by his visor. "Zero! What are you waiting for?" Baku shook the paper at him. "She's leaving! Go after her!"

Zero turned his head ahead away from him, mumbling.

"What?" Baku stepped closer.

"No."

"What?! What do you mean, 'No'?!"

"It is enough. It's better for her if she leaves."

"What are you talking about?"

"You said so yourself: she is safer away from the SDG."

"I can't believe you! Are you really this stubborn?!"

"Aleda will be happier with her family, without war."

Metal clanged sharply against metal as Baku smacked Zero across the face with his bare hand. The Lacroan flinched but made no further response.

"If you're not going to go, then I will, you idiot!" the Musha Gundam roared, storming out. "Join me when you come to your senses!" he yelled as he rounded the door.

Zero remained unmoving, staring emptily at the half-crumpled letter, mired between remorse and fear.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yes, I deliberately continued to write until it left off _right there_. If you hate me for leaving it on that cliffhanger, then please review :) I enjoy reading the screams of my victims—I mean, the feedback of my readers.

Because I posted it after releasing Chapter 15, I realize many readers probably don't know about a poll I started that asks about what characters should be seen more often in_ Little Wing_. You can choose up to three, of main or side characters, or you can say that you like the balance as is. It's posted on my profile, so please go and vote.

Again, thanks to Titanic X for editing this long, long chapter!

Until next time!

-Penelopi

12-18-2015: Made edits in some key scenes for better flow.


	17. Burning Memories

**Author's Notes**

The semester is getting busy, between work, school, family, and friends, but hopefully I'll still be able to make frequent updates like this. This is a shorter but pretty packed chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks to _Titanic X_ for beta-reading!

And thanks for the review, Xzeit! I'm a fan of your art, so I feel very honored! :)

Registered readers: If you haven't already looked at the poll on my profile, please do!

Here we go! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is owned by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs mentioned/appearing in this chapter are: Aleda, Titan, James and Mary Vaughn, Abigail Vaughn, and Myles.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Burning Memories**

As orange crawled over the sky, Baku galloped down the side of the hill to Shute's house astride his faithful steed Entengo. The pounding hooves caught the ear of Captain, who left his homework and room and ran outside to see the mounted samurai skid to a halt at the edge of the porch. "Bakunetsumaru?"

Baku vaulted over the railing, and the porch creaked under his landing. "Aleda's running away!" he hollered, "And it's all that pansy's fault!"

Captain's eyebrows shot skyward. "Aleda has left?"

"Yeah, and because Zero's too chicken to go after her, it's up to us to bring her back!"

"Should we interfere? The chiefs never said that she must—"

"Of course we should!" the Blazing Samurai squawked, flailing his arms. "We have to help out our friends!"

"Yes, but—!"

"Zero's morale is falling like a poached pigeon!" Baku contended. "We have to do this for the team!"

Captain pressed his lips together as he deliberated.

The Blazing Samurai danced impatiently: his agitated fiery spirit burned every internal component and would not let him stay still. "Come on, Captain, I need your help!"

"Do you know her destination?" Captain asked.

"Some house in Colorado."

"The most efficient methods of travel to reach Colorado from Neotopia are by train or by plane," Captain stated, crossing his arms. "But, the plane tickets cannot always be purchased the same day as the desired flight, and they are more expensive than train tickets. It is likely that Aleda is traveling by train."

Baku nodded. "Okay. Where's the nearest train station?"

"Neotopia Central. However, I think that, when considering her personality, Aleda would choose the Foggy Plains station three miles south of that. It is smaller and less used, so she would attract less attention."

"Sounds like a good start." Baku climbed onto Entengo's back and settled himself. "Hop on."

Captain raised an eyebrow. "Is this wise?"

"I need your help to find everything in this city."

The skin-encased Gundam finally nodded. "I'll explain to Shute's parents."

...

Zero curled his fingers around the hilt of the Vatras Sword. He stabbed through a Zako's eye, tore out, kicked a 'bot behind him, and slashed an adjacent enemy. Two of them clattered to the ground, and the remaining one reeling from the kick received a shield ram and a cleave straight through the helm. Zero pulled back, panting, and the Zakos dissipated. _"Simulation ended," _a computerized voice echoed throughout the empty training room.

The troubles in his mind refused to dissipate as easily. Zero shook his head to dispel them. "Computer, restart simulation!"

_"Auto scans indicate significant system strain. Unable to comply with request due to Safety Protocol 8-11a." _

"Restart simulation!" the Knight Gundam growled.

_"Unable to comply." _

Zero grunted and wheeled, his cape flaring. His sword and shield vanished in a blue flash, and he strode to the entrance as his unfocused eyes pored over dark scenes again and again. Stone crawled up the princess's gown. Green eyes recoiled in hurt. A distant hilltop smoked under the shadow of a flying warship, and grey swept over the village of his childhood. Aleda sobbed in his arms, and an armored man took his last breaths in them. A towering enemy slammed a winged Gundamess into a concrete wall as he helplessly watched. And, his princess's frozen eyes stared through him.

Titan's warning resounded: _"_ _Should you bring her to harm, I won't give you a second chance." _

_This is the best choice—it must be, _the Winged Knight asserted to himself. _If my strength cannot promise her safety, then what right have I to keep her beside me? _

Zero dragged these thoughts with him to his quarters and sank with them into the bedspread. He continued to stare at the ceiling in the dark, as his processor supplied horrifying scenes in place of blackness. Distressing inner voices filled the silence.

Zero closed his eyes against the burning memories.

...

Baku and Captain interrogated the small population of travelers at the Foggy Plains station. "Where is she?!" Baku yelled, thrusting a printed photograph of Aleda into an innocent passerby's face.

The man flinched back, eyeing the swords at Baku's waist.

"Your methods are too intimidating," Captain said, reaching for the photo. "Let me question him."

"Fine..." Baku handed him the paper and stepped aside with a huff.

"I apologize for my friend," Captain said. "He is very concerned about this mobile citizen. Have you happened to see her?"

"Shute?"

Captain's heartbeat quickened, and he turned to see a certain dusty-blond friend descending the staircase to their platform. "Maggie?"

Margaret, with a rising smile, reached the bottom and walked to him and Baku. "What are you doing, here?" she asked. The man that they were interrogating slinked away.

"We're looking for a friend," Captain said. He held up the picture.

"Oh, the pretty mobile citizen! I saw her about fifteen minutes ago! She got on a silver line train heading west," Margaret said.

"Just fifteen minutes ago?" Baku readied himself to sprint.

She nodded, her smile leveling under curiosity and concern. "Yeah. You'll have to drive to the next station, or something."

"Can Entengo make it?" Captain asked Baku.

"Of course." Baku nodded at the exit. "Let's go."

The two started to move, but Margaret grabbed Captain's arm. "Wait!"

Captain blushed and turned his head. "Huh?"

"What's going on?" Margaret demanded.

The boy's green eyes burned with determination. "Our friend is running away, and we want to find her."

Margaret sucked in her lips. "I'm supposed to visit my grandparents' for the weekend... but, I still have time. Can I come help?"

"I guess you two are small enough to fit all three of us on Entengo," Baku said with a shrug. "You'll just have to squish."

Captain's ears burned bright as cherries.

"Yes!" Margaret squealed in excitement.

...

Aleda huddled in the back of the train car, in a seat beneath a broken light. She held nothing, because all of her possessions fit within her magic storage space, and her thoughts screamed too loudly for her to draw or read a book at the moment. Other passengers stole glances at her, awed and surprised by her unusual appearance, and at every whisper, Aleda cringed, wondering if they concerned her. She never raised her eyes to check. Her skirt plate splayed across the next, empty seat, the visible embossed gold Lacroan crest accusing her.

She traced her finger over the symbol's peak, from the star to the v. The farthest reaches of adjacent, working ceiling lights grazed the gold, tinting it slightly red, like a flame. And, in Aleda's mind, she saw again the flame that had incinerated her life.

…

"_Show me what you can do, Ally!" a teenage girl urged the tiny white Gundamess she was kneeling in front of. Long, light brown hair framed her smooth, pale face and wide smile in gentle waves, and her chocolate eyes glinted with fascination. _

_The two crouched in a park on the outskirts of Neotopia. Not three feet away rose a woodpile that had been gathered in preparation for a bonfire. It nestled inside a circle of large rocks. Beyond the pile, the woods began, and on the other side of the girls, a loose smattering of log buildings partially sheltered them from the bustle of the people in the main common area. The Vaughn family had rented the park/campsite for an extended family reunion. When most of the cousins' eyes had persistently and openly followed the tiny Gundamess, her sister Abigail had pulled her to a quieter spot to reduce her stress. _

_Aleda, beaming, held out her white palm, and a small flame flickered above it. "Look, Abby!" _

"_Oh, that's so cool!" Abigail praised. "Can you do anything else with it?" _

"_Yeah." The flame elongated by an inch. _

"_Awesome! Can you light the bonfire?" Abigail gestured to the stack of kindling. _

_Aleda faced the pile and narrowed her emerald eyes to focus. The flame grew taller and extended towards the target, but its tendrils could not quite reach the closest protruding piece of wood. Aleda hummed in concentration. _

_Suddenly, the flame burst wider all around, and Aleda jumped back, releasing the spell. The fire broke and dispersed. A scream pierced Aleda's audio, and she saw Abigail throw her face into the dirt. _

"_Abby!" Aleda, eyes wide, ran to her writhing sister. _

_A crowd of feet pounded around the corner. "What happened?!" "Are you okay?!" "What's wrong?" _

_Abigail, still wailing, held a hand over the left side of her face. "Help! Help me!" she wheezed. _

_Mary Vaughn, a brown-haired woman, knelt and pried her hand away, murmuring, "Let me see." _

_Her left cheek was wax edged by crusty black flakes that extended all the way to her lip. Tears streamed from her eyes, adding to the agony by stinging her wound. "It hurts!" she sobbed. "Help me! Please, it hurts!" _

_Aleda trembled and retreated, her eyescreens also pooling. "I'm sorry…!" _

"_It was that, wasn't it?" an aunt said, scowling and pointing at the child robot. _

"_It attacked a human?!" an uncle said._

"_It should be decommissioned!" _

"_Someone call the police!" _

_A few started to move towards her, but a blond, tall man stepped between. "It was an accident!" he said with hardened hazel eyes. _

"_Daddy," Aleda whimpered, clutching his pant leg. _

"_I told you that thing might be dangerous!" the first aunt said. _

"_She's my daughter, and I won't let you touch her!" James Vaughn roared. _

"_Leave Aleda alone!" Mary forcefully reiterated. To her husband, she cried, "James, call an ambulance!" _

"_Come quick, Aleda," James urged, tugging at his youngest child's metal hand. Aleda floated right beside him, listening with horror to the screams of her sister and extended "family" the whole way to the parking lot. _

_James whipped out his phone and keys. He tapped the key button, and the side door slid open. "Get inside," he ordered as he dialed on his cell phone and looked over his shoulder. _

_Aleda and her father climbed in, and the locks clicked shut. James looped an arm around his adopted daughter as he spoke into the phone, "We're in Neotopia District 5 Park. My daughter has suffered severe burns on her face due to an accident…" _

…

_The next time that Aleda saw Abigail's face, bandages covered most of it—but her glare clearly pierced through. Abigail scowled at her the entire way to the stairs. After she disappeared and a door slammed, Aleda sniffled and drifted towards Mary. "Momma…!" she croaked, reaching a hand. _

_Mary, her face straining with the effort to hold back tears, knelt down and hugged the little robot. Aleda levitated herself slightly so that her human mother could lift her heavy frame and cradle her. _

_Aleda burst into tears in Mary's arms. "I'm sorry, Momma! I didn't mean it!" _

_Mary shushed her. "I know, Little Wing, shh. I know." _

"_They're not going to get me, are they?" _

"_No, sweetie, we would never let anyone get you. We're moving to Colorado so we can start fresh. It'll be okay." _

…

At less than six years old, Aleda's differences had cost her a sister and a home. Now, her magic had cost her friends. She wriggled uncomfortably. _It's getting close to summer, so Abby may come home, too, _she pondered. _I have nowhere else to go, though. _She studied her palms. _But, I learned healing magic. Maybe I can fix it. _Though, curling her fingers, she further considered, _Then, again, maybe I shouldn't use magic, anymore…_

She faced the darkening sky outside the window. _Maybe it'll be fun seeing Myles, at least. _

...

Grappler Gouf surveyed the flattened soil. "Good. No one can see them."

He, Zapper Zaku, Destroyer Dom, and several Zakos stood at the edge of a clearing in a park about fifteen miles north of Neotopia, each wearing a yellow jetpack. A few small clods betrayed disturbance in the ground, but they blended in with the general terrain enough to fool casual onlookers.

"Now, you'd better not mess it up," Grappler said with a glare at his partners. "If you step on them after I told you fifty times to watch the layout, I'm gonna leave you for scrap."

Zapper rolled his eye. "Oh, sure, because _I'm _the one who ruins our plans."

"You _are_."

"Hey—!"

"—So watch it, because you _would_ be the one to trigger a mine even when you have a jetpack equipped!"

"_You _watch it, you overgrown sea snail!" Zapper spat.

"Sea snail?!" Gouf repeated indignantly.

"Your armor looks like the shell of those ugly organic sea snails!"

"I dare you to say that again! _Your _face must have been inspired by cubist art!"

"Why, you—!"

"When will Gundams go boom?!" Dom wailed, flailing.

"As soon as we send a broadcast to that stupid Gundam Force," Gouf growled. He waved toward the forest. "Grab him."

Zakos emerged hauling a chained bulky, navy-blue Gundam. Titan moaned as his face dragged across the dirt. His torn and frayed green cape fluttered feebly in the light breeze. One branch of his v-fin had been torqued, and deep dents marred his armor. A small crack crept over his GunSoul from the edge where two dents crunched his outer armor against the gem.

Dom snatched Titan from the Zakos, who scuttled back warily. "Here's the Gundam," Dom uttered, throwing him roughly into the trio's midst. He crashed onto his back. Then, little chinks sounded as Titan tried to roll to his knees.

Grappler yanked the Gundam to his feet, and Titan wobbled. "Make yourself presentable," Grappler jeered. "We're about to say hi to your friends."

Titan tugged at the chains around his wrist joints and, hazel eyes glaring an angry lime, rasped, "You…!"

"Zapper, where's the camera?"

"Here!" Zapper waved over a Zako, who waddled forward and allowed his leader to bonk him on the head and trigger the camera. "Start!" Zapper cued.

The cobalt robot sneered into the eye-lens. "Gundam Force, we found a friend of yours!" He elbowed Titan in the GunSoul. A tiny crick sounded, and the Knight Gundam gasped and doubled over. "We're here in Neotopia District 5 Park if you want to pick him up. If you don't want him, though, we've got plenty of uses for him at the Dark Axis. You've got an hour before we take him back. Over and out."

Zapper hit the Zako's head again to cut the feed. The little Zako waddled to his comrades while rubbing his helmet.

Titan mustered the breath to say, "You won't use me."

"But, we _are_ using you," Grappler gloated.

Titan yanked suddenly and toppled to the dirt. Grappler watched for a second while Titan crawled before he noticed his trajectory and grabbed him. "Oh, no, you don't!" Titan thrashed, but in his weakened state he couldn't wrest himself free. "I don't know whether to call you a genius or a lunatic," Grappler said, "but you're not getting to those mines, so give it up!"

The captive Knight Gundam persistently dug his fingers into the dirt while Zapper and Dom laughed at the spectacle. Grappler sighed. "Well, it's time for us to leave." He smacked the backside of Titan's helmet, and the Gundam fell limp.

"Gundam gone?" Dom asked.

"Don't think so," Grappler casually replied as he hefted the bulky unconscious knight over his shoulder. "I'm hiding him at the second site. Get into position."

Zapper snorted. "Can't wait to be through with this. I hate taking orders from a sea snail."

"You'll get a cannon to the rear when I get back!" Grappler threatened as he jet into the sky.

...

A white feather tickled Zero's faceplate, bidding him to activate his optical sensors. Feathered wings shone above him. Fangs curled in a toothy grin. "Fenn," Zero gasped, sitting upright. "Is that really you?"

The dragon lowered himself and gently placed a claw on Zero's GunSoul, rumbling.

"Fenn?"

"You lack resolve, Winged Knight," came a deep voice that Zero recognized; in those few moments they had united against Tallgeese, Fenn's thoughts had entered his, echoing in that same majestic thunder. And, like that time, Zero somehow understood his meaning.

"I'm sacrificing my own desires for her sake," Zero protested to him. "How do I lack resolve?"

Fenn snapped his jaws inches from the Gundam's face, causing Zero to flinch against the wall, his feet digging valleys in the bedspread. "Choices made in fear are no courageous sacrifice!"

"I don't understand!"

"You swore to protect her," the dragon bellowed, "so why have you lost her?"

"She chose—!"

"Find her, knight of Lacroa! She should not be left alone in this world! Her smell and her energy are like that of the—!"

_"Zero to the command deck," _Juli's voice broke in.

Zero jolted and flashed his eyescreens on. Fenn was gone: only the dark ceiling met his view. He twisted and rolled himself to his feet. _Fenn, what were you saying? _he wondered, though the Feathered Dragon was not there to answer.

...

One Musha Gundam and two children tumbled off the mechanical horse. Captain and Margaret bolted for the wide gate leading into the train station, but a frustrated whinny caught Baku mid-stride. "Sorry, Entengo," Baku said to the heaving horse. He pat Entengo's nose, saying, "You've been a great help, buddy. I'll be sure to give you extra carrots when we're done!" With that, he broke away to join his friends.

Steel support beams propped the ceiling, and smoothed brick capped each side of the platform. From beyond the line of ticket gates, the three skimmed the crowd that disembarked from a stopped train. Baku's sharp optical sensors caught her first. "There she is! Aleda!" He jumped up and down, waved, and pointed, drawing stares from human and robot alike. Captain and Margaret winced.

Gold-edged wings stopped as Aleda followed the ruckus to her friends' shapes. Her eyes widened, and her face reddened. Glancing at a wall-mounted clock, then a backlit timetable, she bit her lip. She didn't want to encounter them, but the next suitable train would not leave for fifteen minutes. Perhaps she could hide…

Aleda ducked her head and wings and slipped through the crowd. "Excuse me," she mumbled.

"Hey!" Baku rushed to the ticket gates and crouched.

A mobile citizen behind a booth window next to the gates reached futilely. "You can't do that!"

But, Baku had already jumped over. "Aleda, wait!" He shoved through the crowd, knocking over a couple of humans in his path. "Sorry! Comin' through!" The rest of the throng began to part.

Margaret cupped a hand to Captain's ear. "Does he like her or something?"

"I don't believe so," the boy answered, blushing at the tickle of her breath.

"That's even weirder."

"Indeed."

Another mobile citizen ran around the booth to intercept Baku, calling, "Stop!"

"Aleda!"

The Gundamess peered over her shoulder to see, to her utter mortification, that Baku was wading through the crowd to her. She whipped around. "Excuse me!" she cried. The human in front of her sidled away, and she made to cut past, but a hand grabbed her shoulderplate. "Ah!" she yelped.

"Aleda, wait, we gotta talk to you!" Baku said, firming his hold.

She shook her head. "I can't!" She tried to pull away, but the Musha Gundam's grip held.

The pursuing mobile citizen reached them. "You're causing a disturbance," he said to Baku, turning slightly to reveal the police bade engraved on his navy blue armor. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Fine with me. Come on, Aleda, let's go!" Baku tugged.

"Is he bothering you, miss?" the mobile citizen asked Aleda.

Aleda bit her lip. Unwilling to land her well-meaning friend in detainment, she replied, "No. It's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Aleda stood straight and eased her shoulders. "I'm fine."

The mobile citizen nodded and ushered them to the exit.

…

Baku, Aleda, Captain, and Margaret stood outside the station. Entengo sniffed at landscape bushes nearby. The sun had set, though the moon had not yet risen. The chase had led them beyond Neotopia to the next city over. The lights surrounding the station blinded them to any stars above.

Aleda's tension had returned. The partitions of her small wings separated slightly to enlarge the whole structure, and faint red glows leaked between each piece. Margaret eyed the Gundamess in awe. Captain wore a grim smile.

"Why did you leave?" Baku demanded.

Aleda bowed her head. "I wanted to go home."

"But why?"

Her hands gripped her skirt pieces. "It doesn't matter."

Baku sighed. "Fine. If you don't want to tell us, you don't have to. But, we want you back."

"I can't go back." She trembled. The human boy in front of her was still Captain. She could tell by the straight posture and even voice. Her mistake was staring her in the face.

Baku clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, you c—"

"Let go!" Aleda jerked away. For a split second, the startled samurai received a green glare before she turned her face away, again.

The Musha Gundam sighed, murmuring just below her hearing range, "They're the same." Then, aloud, he said, "Zero wants you to come back."

Her wings twitched. "Then, why isn't he here?"

Baku shifted his feet. "He…" He glanced down. "He should be here, soon."

With a peek at Margaret, Aleda said, "I'm leaving."

Baku planted himself between her and the entrance to the station. "No, you're not."

Her fingers curled. "I'm tired of being a freak show!" she yelled.

Margaret averted her eyes.

"Then come back with us!" Baku said.

"No! No one needs me, there!"

A shrill ring stopped the reply on Baku's plasticy tongue. Captain fished Shute's cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. "Yes?"

The group watched the boy's jaw tense and his eyes narrow. "Yes, sir." He folded the phone shut. "Bakunetsumaru, there's an emergency. They need you at Neotopia District 5 Park."

Aleda's wings shuddered.

"Now?!" Baku moaned.

"Zero and Guneagle are already deploying. Titan may be held captive there."

Baku straightened. "Where's the park?"

"Approximately 24 kilometers north of downtown. You should see Guneagle once you're close."

"Okay." Baku marched towards Entengo, who perked up and spat out a leaf. "Captain!" Baku yelled over his shoulder. "Stay here and keep arguing with her! Don't let her get away!" he said as he swung himself onto Entengo's back.

"Alright," Captain said, though frowning.

"Aleda!" Baku jabbed a finger at her. "I expect more riceballs, tomorrow!" He clicked his heels. "Let's go, Entengo!"

The Blazing Samurai galloped down the street, weaving his steed expertly between clusters of pedestrians. "Excuse me! Comin' through!" The clack of hooves gradually disappeared in the distance.

"Shute, why did he call you 'Captain'?" Margaret asked.

Captain's gaze swayed as he formulated a response. "…It's another name of mine."

"Oh, it's like a nickname?"

"Yes, it's like a nickname." Captain briefly chuckled in relief that Margaret had allowed him to escape without a lie.

Aleda took a step back, jerking the humans' gaze to her, but then paused. "Captain… Zero says he can handle my mistake," she said, so quietly that they could barely hear her. "And, I know I'm not much help to everyone, so I think it's better for me to leave."

Captain stepped within chatting distance. "On the contrary, I have observed many qualities you possess that benefit us." Aleda peered at him as he continued, "You feed many of our valuable teammates, you repair Zero and Bakunetsumaru's injuries, and you provide pleasant company that boosts morale. Those contributions would be missed."

"But, I…" Her eyes slipped. "I cause a lot of trouble, too, so…"

"We consider the benefit of your friendship to far outweigh the detraction of your mistakes," Captain said, smiling.

"Um," Margaret interjected, "I feel like I'm intruding on something, so I'll wait over here, okay?" She pointed around the corner of the station building.

Captain nodded. "Alright."

Margaret trotted out of hearing distance.

Once she had disappeared, Aleda timidly asked, "I'm really helpful? I feel like I should do more."

"Yes, you are helpful as you are now, and I think that, in the future, you will be able to contribute even more. Zero often boasts of your growing magical skill. Although he worries about your safety, I think that, with the abilities he has described, you could also participate in battles, someday."

"Zero thinks I'm strong?"

"Yes, he does."

Aleda bunched her digital eyebrows together. "Then why doesn't he say that?"

…

Zero hovered low to the ground, sword in hand, while Guneagle circled overhead. The moon, having finally emerged, illuminated the clearing but cast shadows beneath the trees edging it. Zero raised the Vatras Sword. "Oh, Mana! Light the way for me!" The blade shone, brightly lighting the shade.

"Bossa Natsu is coming!" Guneagle called down.

"Aye!" Zero shouted up.

"See anything?"

"Nay!"

Zero returned his gaze to the grass and trees. He glided past a sign that read, _"Danger! Sinkholes! Stay out!" _

The thud of hooves came near, and Entengo and Baku clattered to the entrance of the clearing. "Hold!" Zero warned, and Entengo reared to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Baku yelled back.

"Sinkholes!" Zero pointed to a sign next to the samurai. "Be careful where you step!"

"Ah..." Baku slowly panned his gaze across the clearing. "Entengo, wait at the road for me." His horse neighed in answer and trotted away.

Guneagle's jet engine roared as he descended toward them, his visor covering his eyescreens. "I can see where all the unstable cavern pockets are with my sensors," he said, "so I'll tell you where you can move."

"It is troubling that we've seen no one, so far," Zero commented. "I cannot sense any magical energy from Titan."

"They must have hid him somewhere and planned for us heavy 'bots to crack the caverns. I don't understand, though," Guneagle said, as he neared the dirt, "why they thought that would work when two of us can fl—"

BOOM! Their world abruptly erupted in fire and pain. Consumed with the roar, glare, and burn of the explosion, they couldn't tell they were falling until they smashed into a rock floor.

Zapper, Dom, and the horde of Zakos rose from the surrounding trees, levitated by their jetpacks, to cackle at the rubble-filled hole. Zapper tapped the side of his helmet. "We got them!" he cried over his comm. "They're buried thirty-five meters underground!"

Grappler's nasally voice came, _"All of them?"_

"All three of 'em that showed up. Captain Gundam wasn't here!"

_"Tch! They must've kept him in reserve in case the others all got offed. I'll find a way to force him out. You and Dom make sure those other guys are scrap. Dig out their shells to show the commander! Grappler Gouf, over and out." _

Zapper restrained a snarl. "Zapper, over and out." He turned to Dom. "Arrogant blue pinecone told us to dig 'em out and make sure they're dead. Let's delegate it to the grunts."

The Zakos moaned. "Zakoooo..."

...

_"SDG Base to Guneagle! Do you read? SDG Base to Guneagle!..."_

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yes, yes, I will torment you—I mean, entertain you—some more!

I hope Aleda's backstory all makes sense. Some of it has just popped into my head on the fly. In Chapter 16, during Aleda and Zero's sweet little moment in the kitchen, it just sort of came to me that Aleda was super upset with herself for switching Shute and Captain not just because she's shy, timid, and lacks confidence, but because she made a bad mistake in her past that hurt someone and the social consequences had been very high. I found myself writing out her confession to Zero that she'd burned her oldest sister on the face by accident. But, I wasn't liking the flow of their interaction, which was intensifying a little too quickly to be realistic. Plus, it was getting dangerously close to a kiss and/or love confession, and it wasn't yet time for that. So, I cut that out during my revisions and instead had it explained in flashback form during this chapter. The accident will likely come up in a future conversation between those two, though.

In case I wasn't clear with it, Chief Haro and Kao Lyn studied Aleda's physiology when she was about five, and less than a year later, the accident happened, and the Vaughns moved from Neotopia to Colorado, cutting off contact with everyone they knew so that Neotopia authorities couldn't find them if they possibly wanted to press charges. They were legitimately worried for Aleda, because the mobile citizens that assault humans are, by Neotopian law, to be either reprogrammed or destroyed. I'm pretty sure none of that contradicts what I already wrote, right...?

As you can probably tell, I had a lot of fun with Baku this chapter. The Blazing Samurai makes a persistent wingman. XD Daaw, Zero doesn't know how good a friend he's got! And, if anyone was wondering, when Baku was trying to ask around at the first station for sightings of Aleda, that Batman line did pop up in my head because my boyfriend likes to mimic it all the time, and so I just laughed and went with it because it does sound like Baku's straightforward and direct personality.

Thanks again to _Titanic X_ for beta-reading this chapter the same night I sent it!

The next chapter won't be up as quickly as this one, but I'll try my best to get it up in a timely manner. Please check out the poll on my profile in the meantime!

Lots of things will happen next chapter, so everyone sit tight!

-Penelopi


	18. You Can

**Author's Notes**

Hey, readers! I apologize. It took a little longer to get this one up (even though it's about the same length as Ch 17) because of general business, family needs, a surprise visit to see the Pope at Capitol Hill, and an asthma attack D: But, here it is. This chapter was a bit hard because I had to manage so many characters and unfolding scenes at once. I hope it turned out to be an enjoyable read for you all! Thank you, _Titanic X_, for beta-reading!

Guys, don't forget about that poll that I put up a while ago. It's your chance to have some input, and if you like the character balance the way it is, now, there's an option for that, too!

A general warning—my asthma was triggered by newly-developed (obtained this year) seasonal allergies. The doctor at urgent care said that this was one of the worst allergy/asthma seasons they've ever seen, so if you're in the big country of the U.S.A. (I don't know how far the heightened environmental allergy triggers were supposed to spread) and have allergies, be careful: take your 24-hour allergy pills every single day, drink ginger tea or ginger ale, and take inhalers regularly if you're having asthmatic symptoms. If you do find that asthmatic symptoms are not responding to your inhaler medication, then do not be like me and wait from 3 am to 6 pm, miserable from a tight chest and nausea, to finally get some help! It will not go away!

And, now that I've made that public service announcement, on to the chapter! (Please review.)

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is owned by Bandai and Sunrise. The original characters I developed who are found in this chapter are: Aleda and Titan. Everyone else was made up by the aforementioned owners of the franchise (Bandai and Sunrise).

* * *

**Chapter 18: "You Can" **

Chief Haro, Kao Lyn, Juli, and the other staff in the observation deck gasped as they watched an explosion rip the edge of the park clearing, then another, and another, and another, rippling until nothing but a 500-foot-wide smoking rock pit and ring of uprooted trees remained.

"SDG Base to Guneagle! Do you read? SDG Base to Guneagle!"

Haro cursed under his breath.

"Chief?"

"We completely missed their strategy!" Chief Haro growled. "We'll send a rescue party. Continue to hail them."

"Yes, sir!" Juli said.

…

Thin glows blinked in the darkness. Creaks and groans stirred between shifting rocks.

"Zero...? Guneagle...?"

"You guys okay?"

"What—*cough*—happened?"

"Zero. Can you light up this place?"

Pained grunts and the grate of sliding rocks preceded a bright light crawling from the rubble. Zero, his arm shaking, lifted his glowing sword aloft to see his comrades.

An antler on Baku's helmet had bent, and blackness—either soot or melted Gundamium—coated the whole side of the Musha Gundam. Sparks discharged from Guneagle's twisted shoulder and wing, and the colors on his chest ran together as melted Gundamium and paint dripped. "Guneagle," Zero panted, "your armor is melting."

"You don't look so good, yourself," Guneagle said.

Zero tried to move his shield arm and cried out in pain; it was pinned beneath a few boulders. As he heaved, he felt needles in his chest. Rock and mine shards had lodged themselves below his GunSoul.

"You've got bad burns, Zero," Baku said, "Don't move."

A glint off of Baku's GunSoul chased away the knight's own pain, though. "Baku, your gem! It's cracked!"

Baku shallowly chuckled, wincing with each breath. "Guess that's why it hurts so much."

"This is no laughing matter! Try to reach me! I must heal it, immediately!"

Baku, moaning, used his non-blackened hand to drag himself across a rock, but he winced. A chipping noise shot into Zero's audio. "Wait, stop!" Zero said, "Don't try to move! I'll come to you!"

He elbowed some skittering pebbles aside, braced himself, and jerked against his geologic captor. Screeching metal, dusty flakes of blackened and partly-molten Gundamium, and agonized screams were all that he earned for his effort. After three seconds of this, Baku breathed, "Don't. Just stay there. We have to wait for help."

"Why is the gem so important?" Guneagle asked.

"If our GunSouls break, we die!" Zero wheezed.

The Neotopian shifted slightly. "Okay, hold on. My scanners are still working, so I'm gonna find us a way outta here." He twisted his squeaking neck joints to view the haphazardly-deposited rock layer three inches above his remaining wing.

Then, his v-fin flashed. "Guneagle to SDG Base! We're here!" he called to unheard hails. "Yeah, we're all still online. But, we're in serious trouble. We're pinned under 35 meters of rock, we're half-melted, my right arm and wing are broken, Zero can't move, and Bakusetsu's GunSoul is cracking. Plus, we've got only forty-three minutes of oxygen left, tops, and they need to breathe. We need help, ASAP!"

"Forty-three minutes," Zero echoed in dismay. "Who can help us?"

"Don't give up, Zero," Baku groaned out. "We'll make it, somehow."

"Okay. Keep us posted," Guneagle said into his comm. "Over and out." To his companions, he said, "They're gathering people to help."

Zero nodded. "I'll let my magic passively heal my arm, and then I'll try to heal Baku."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Use it on yourself, Zero," Baku panted. "Lacroa is counting on you, right?"

"And you fight for Ark, do you not?" Zero weakly chuckled.

"Guys, try not to talk, or you'll use up the air faster," Guneagle interrupted.

The Sola Diorama Gundams fell silent and focused their attention to slowing their breaths.

…

A steady rattle and clack announced the arrival of the next train. Aleda turned her gaze to the station entrance.

"From what I have observed, Aleda, you face less prejudice at White Base than anywhere else," Captain hazarded.

"Not many people see me at my parents' house," Aleda said. "We live in the middle of nowhere, so I can go outside without people watching me."

"Doesn't that feel lonely?"

Aleda dropped her gaze.

A ring sounded, and Captain pulled the phone out, again. "Yes?" Aleda looked back to see Captain's face morph into a shocked and pained expression. "What is their status?" he asked. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. Here she is." He held out the phone. "Chief Haro needs you, Aleda."

Aleda, with dancing stomach butterflies jostling her frame, accepted the phone and held it to her audio. "Hello?"

_"Aleda," _the Chief's steady voice said,_ "I don't know what your situation is, but we need your help, right now! Zero, Bakunetsumaru, and Guneagle fell into a Dark Axis trap and suffered heavy wounds." _The phone rattled against her helmet. _"They are still alive, but they need immediate assistance. Gunbike will take you to their location. It's extremely dangerous, and the enemy is still present, but without help, they will all die! Zero and Bakunetsumaru have less than forty minutes!" _

"I'll come. Where do I go?"

_"Head due northeast, and you should intercept Gunbike near Neotopia Valley School. Your destination is Neotopia District 5 Park." _

The Gundamess nodded. "Yes, sir."

_"Over and out." _

She shut the phone and, trembling, handed it to Captain.

"Are you alright?"

"No." Aleda extended her palm, and a glow from her hand released thin paper slices. "Here, take this money so you both can ride the train home."

Captain, his gaze falling, palmed the dollar bills. "Be careful."

"I'll try."

...

Margaret looked up as Captain walked around the bend holding a small clump of cash. She frowned at the pain that stretched his face. "So, what happened?"

"Our friends are in trouble. She went to help." Captain held a palm to eye level. "In my current state, I'm unable to aid them."

Margaret ventured a smile, saying, "You've done what you needed to."

"I hope so."

"It seems like you're in a bit of a pickle, though. I can stick around with you until everything's okay."

"You will?" Captain's eyes lit.

Her pearly whites snuck out. "Yeah, of course. What are friends for?"

The loneliness faded from his face. "Thank you, Maggie."

"You're welcome." But, the girl frowned, watching something behind him. "Hey, what's that?"

Captain turned to see a weaving shape in the sky, traced by a flaring glow. He tensed. "Is that…?"

"What is it?" Margaret stood.

As the shape came closer, a purple orb glared from its head. "Run!" Captain cried, grabbing Margaret's hand.

Margaret stumbled the first step but quickly caught herself and set her long legs pounding with him, while cackles chased from behind.

...

Shute, in Kao Lyn's lab, rested, offline, at his recharge station where he had been sent earlier during the emergency. It would be best for the boy, Chief Haro had figured, if he had been asleep while they tried to recover Titan rather than wait anxiously while he could do nothing. However, his eyescreens suddenly blinked on, and with a shudder, he popped the station connections from his back. His chest felt tight, as if his Soul Drive were squeezing.

He flipped the Soul Drive compartment open, though, and nothing appeared abnormal. Why the anguish?

_Shute! _

Shute jolted and searched the dim room, but no one was there. And, yet, he certainly had heard it. "Captain!"

…

Gunbike raced down a northbound highway with Aleda perched in his main seat. His sidecar had been removed in order to eliminate unnecessary drag—after all, Shute was not riding. "The whole doggon field was mined, and that start-up Guneagle's jets triggered 'em—KABOOM! The whole thing!" Gunbike elaborated to Aleda as they drove. "They're gonna need ya' healin' powers. Problem is, they're trapped 35 meters underground. That's gonna be tough ta get through in time."

"I think I can move most of it with magic," Aleda offered.

"I thought ya'd say somethin' like that," Gunbike rumbled. "But, will ya' have enough left over for Zero and Bakunetsumaru?"

"I don't know…"

"Hmm. Well, I think I got somethin' ta help." His v-fin flashed. "SDG Base, come in! We need ta call in a favor!"

…

Guneagle shifted his shoulder slightly to prop a boulder. "Aleda and Gunbike are on their way to help," he reported to his fellow prisoners.

Zero lifted his head. "Aleda?"

"Yeah."

Fear gripped him—and an erratic surge of hope. "But... how? I thought she left."

"Captain was still with her, so they asked through him," Guneagle explained.

"Yeah! Good, Captain!" Baku cheered, a cry that tickled his wounds and sent his body into a coughing fit.

"You left Captain with her?" Zero said.

"Yeah—*cough*—He and his friend—*hack!*—stayed so I could come."

"Baku..." Hearing the trouble that his friend went to, Zero thought back also to the strange sparring session that they had had a few days ago after he'd consoled his lady: the samurai's eyes had blazed brighter than in any fight against the Dark Axis that he had seen, and his swords, with their smooth, quick, crisp, and precise strikes, had carried exceptional ferocity. Zero had put on his usual mask of ostentatious condescension and attempted to hold on to this secure persona in the face of swings aimed at his shoulders, wrists, knees, and chest, each requiring a little more push to deflect than Zero had initially expected. Eventually, though, the slices had cut away his nonchalance. Perhaps now he could get an answer for the fire in his friend's eyes. "Why do all of this?" he asked the wounded samurai.

"Friends make... each other happy," Baku panted.

"You told me you wanted to tease him," Guneagle laughed.

Baku, in spite of his pain, managed a thin smile. "That, too."

Zero's eyescreens watered.

"And food."

"Way to ruin the touching moment," Guneagle scoffed.

Baku's responding laughs faded into coughs.

"Don't strain yourself, Baku," Zero begged. He tugged on his pinned shield arm. "My magic has restored some use of my arm. In a moment, I can dig my way to you."

"I'll be... fine... I won't die before I've defeated... Kibaomaru..."

"Keep fighting," Zero urged.

…

The doors opened, and a panicked wheel-heeled Gundam ran in. "What happened?!" Shute demanded of the SDG staff.

"Zero, Bakunetsumaru, and Guneagle are in a predicament," Chief Haro answered, "and Aleda and Gunbike have gone to rescue them."

"What about Captain?" the metal-sheathed boy blurted.

"What do you mean?"

"Something happened to Captain! I can feel it!"

Chief Haro turned to Juli. "Where is 'Shute'?"

A few taps on her console, and Juli's blue eyes widened. "About ten minutes ago, Shute's cell phone started traveling ninety-four meters in the air, and one minute ago, it fell on the ground. It hasn't moved, since."

"What?!"

"He must have been kidnapped!" Kao Lyn fretfully rubbed his greying hair. "Oh, no, oh, no, what are we to do?!"

"Where is the phone?" Haro demanded.

"Just outside of Neotopia," Juli answered.

"Those Dark Axis... There's no one right now who we can send after him."

"You can send me," Shute said.

"You haven't had combat training."

"I have." Shute clenched his fists. "I've been practicing in secret."

Chief Haro stiffened. "I see..."

Shute gazed at him unflinchingly. "I'm sorry, Chief Haro."

Haro swept his gaze across the staff present in the room, meeting their questioning gazes. "There's no hiding it, anymore: Captain Gundam and Shute have temporarily switched bodies as a result of a magic accident," he explained. "Because of this, Captain and Shute have been withheld from combat. However, if Captain has been taken hostage, then they are both at risk. If either of them are killed or destroyed, then they will both die, according to our magic expert, Zero. We must retrieve Captain Gundam at once!"

"Only the Gundivers are left to help, sir," Juli reminded him, "and they aren't equipped for land combat."

"I know." Chief Haro gazed at Shute. "I know full well."

Shute matched the mask's eyes with his own resolute stare.

...

Aleda and Gunbike waited at a gravelly backroad. The ground rumbled. "Brace yerself," Gunbike said. A clear roof closed over Aleda's head, and the Gundamess gripped the edge of her seat. Then, a clawed blue piston the size of a small car ruptured the surface, scattering earth. A few pebbles pinged off Gunbike's Gundamium frame and his windowed enclosure harmlessly.

The piston retracted. "Hello?" a male voice echoed from the hole in the ground.

"Howdy, there, Grypapa!" Gunbike rolled them close to the opening, until Aleda could see that it sloped with an acceptably gentle incline down into a tunnel. A long, rectangular, blue structure with two of the giant pistons protruded, and headlights illuminated the shaft. "Thanks fer meetin' us halfway!" Gunbike called to the huge mechanical being.

"It's no problem at all! I owe the Gundam Force my life."

"We're headin' due north! I'll steer ya when we get close!"

"Okay! Come on down!" Grypapa backed into the tunnel to give them space.

"Hang on, honey! Things can get bumpy," Gunbike warned Aleda as he tilted into the hole.

Aleda gulped and tightened her hold on the underside of her chair. "Not that tight!" Gunbike barked. "Don't bend my seat!"

"Sorry!"

…

Grappler Gouf, with Captain and Margaret in each arm, coasted into a gated area full of winding rails, colorful stands, and decorated merry-go-rounds. Stillness held the park, and rust shackled the attractions. Roller coaster cars gathered dust beneath their covered loading docks, and their tracks collected rotting leaves. At a gust of wind, a tall coaster arch creaked.

"Where are you taking us?" Captain demanded yet again.

"Nowhere exciting," Grappler answered, "so shut up."

Margaret quivered.

They jet to the center of the park, and Grappler lowered in front of a roller coaster ride exit. "There are likely no robots left here to recruit with a Control Horn," Captain said pointedly.

"For the last time, shut up!" Gouf commanded. "I'm not here to use the horn!" He carried them to the ride's photo booth and souvenir shop and kicked down the moldy door. "Honey, I'm hoooome~!" the blue robot called.

His purple eye cast a thin, dark glow over the bare interior. The shelves on the edges sagged from rot instead of merchandise. Spider webs locked empty wheeled clothing racks in place. Only dust rested on the check-out counter; all cash registers and gift cards had been removed. To this countertop Grappler Gouf walked, as Margaret squirmed uneasily at the pressure under her ribs.

"Stop your squirming," Gouf ordered. He slipped around the counter and nudged open the staff-only door behind it.

Eyescreens flickered on in the dark. Grappler threw the humans inside.

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

Captain pushed himself to his feet and wheeled, but the door slammed shut and clicked. He jiggled the stiff doorknob to no effect. "He locked us in!"

Margaret lifted her head and stared at the glowing eyescreens. "Who are you?"

The robot shifted, clinking, and revealing something of his chains' shape in the faint light. "Titan." His glowing hazel eyes shifted to the human boy. "Shute…?"

Captain turned to him. "Yes, in a manner of speaking."

"You seem hurt," Margaret said.

Titan breathed in heavily. "Yes."

Captain felt his pockets. "My phone is gone," he observed.

Margaret stood. "I have mine."

"Wait," Titan croaked.

The children looked at him, then jumped when the door opened. A Zako scuttled in before Grappler. "Okay, now we got a message to send, and you kids better cooperate! ...What are you up to?" Grappler demanded, eyeing Margaret's hand in her pocket.

She jerked it out. "Nothing."

Grappler stared into her darting blue eyes for one second before he said, "Hand it over."

"I just put my hand in—!"

"Hand it over!"

Margaret grit her teeth and pulled her small sky-blue cell phone from the pocket.

"Thank you!" Grappler snatched it from her and tossed it on the floor, and Margaret jumped in surprise when he stamped it to pieces. "There! No one's phoning home!" the Dark Axis robot taunted with a grin. "Now, smile into the camera."

…

_"I noticed Captain Gundam's been hiding, today. Well, I've got your human pet, Captain, so you'd better come to these coordinates, or you know what'll happen!" _Grappler Gouf said in the transmitted video playing in the observation deck for the chiefs and the other staff.

Behind the robot, the SDG could see a familiar human boy and a girl glaring at him. "Who's that?" Kao Lyn asked.

As if hearing him, the recording said casually, _"Oh, yeah, and I've got this juvenile human female, too. I don't know who she is, but she was with the kid, so I grabbed them both." _Grappler shrugged. _"She'll probably be the first to get petrified." _

Captain in the video started at this offhand comment and stepped protectively in front of the girl.

"That's Margaret," Shute explained. "She's a classmate of mine."

"A civilian," Chief Haro noted.

"Yeah."

"Oh, no, oh no..." Kao Lyn continued to mumble half to himself like a mantra.

"We have no more time to wait. Shute," Haro said, looking at the boy-turned 'bot, "you are the only one left to rescue Captain and Margaret, so you must go."

Shute nodded. "Yes, sir. I can do it, sir."

"Be careful, Shute," Chief Haro pleaded. "This is a dangerous situation."

The child saluted. "Yes, sir!"

…

"We're almost there!" Gunbike shouted to his passenger above the din of Grypapa's drilling arms.

Aleda nodded.

The two followed behind Grypapa's huge blue bulk as he carved a tunnel northward. The tunnel had taken them through a couple of tall cavern pockets on the way. According to Grypapa, the pockets widened and became more frequent in the northern District 5, which had caused the District 5 Park to be closed and demolished many years ago after their accidental discovery. Sixteen minutes had passed since they began burrowing: the trapped Gundams had less than four minutes remaining.

…

"Dig faster, you rusty buckets!" Zapper shouted at the Zakos. The green Dark Axis grunts had formed a line leading into the middle of the crumbled cavern, along which they passed pieces of rock to carry the debris away, and from which fanned several branches of diggers. The poor little Zakos, smudged with filthy organic dirt, groaned at the dull work.

"Hurry! I'm booooored!" Dom loudly complained, waving his bazooka. The Zakos squealed and accelerated their movement. Zakos in the line nearly had rocks shoved into their optics from the frantic scramble.

A digging Zako tore back a large rock and jumped when a bright glow spilled out. "Zako!"

Other surrounding Zakos crowded to peek. "Zako!" "Zako!" "Zako zako!"

"We're almost there, zako!" one called to the squad leaders.

"Good!" Zapper stomped toward the tiny opening with his machine gun in hand. "That light means they're still alive, and I miss shooting something!"

…

Zero's processor fogged, and his vision blurred. He instinctively gulped, but then he paused his breath to return to a steady rhythm.

Baku's gasps had slowed, but his breaths had deepened. "I'm getting dizzy," he wheezed.

"Baku," was all Zero could formulate with his overheating CPU.

"Hang in there, guys!" Guneagle said. "They're almost here!" Underneath the surrounding rocks, however, he tightened his hold on his beam rifle. He heard "zako"s drawing close, but, concerned that panic would worsen his allies' condition, kept that information inside his CPU.

"Guneagle... can you... move?" Baku panted.

"I told you already that I'm stuck."

"I can't... die, yet..." Baku raised a hand to the rock ceiling just above his helmet.

"Don't do that, Baku!" Guneagle said. "You'll use up more air!" A glint of purple light leaked down to them. Zakos. Fresh air began to trickle in. Guneagle called past Baku's shoulder, "Zero, the Dark Axis is coming! Use the last of your magic to save yourself!"

"Baku... needs..."

"Worry about yourself!"

Zero blearily blinked in response. His awareness had shrunk to a sliver of illuminated rock and the labored breathing of himself and his samurai friend. His circuits burned, and his helm throbbed with pain. If he closed his eyes, perhaps his agony would lessen. He deactivated his eyescreens, just for a moment. His magical sword dissipated...

His audios roared. And blasted. Strange... He'd never heard such a sound before in the other times he'd fainted.

"Zero! Baku! Guneagle!"

Aleda's voice bid him open his eyes. Zero turned on his vision, and no cute little Lady Gundamess could be seen, but a blinding light glared in his sensors.

Past his view, Aleda crawled through the hole that Grypapa had carved, emerging adjacent to Baku. "Oh, my gosh! Baku, you're burned!"

"Not really… That's soot…" the Arkian answered.

Gunbike slid in part of the way: his wide tail end couldn't fit. "Are y'all alive?!"

"Yeah, Gunbike, but you're blocking the light!" Guneagle said.

"Zero?" Aleda called anxiously into the partially collapsed pocket. "Zero, say something!"

"Aleda…?" the knight's faint voice murmured. He reached his empty sword hand for his lady, his CPU hazed in the heat.

"Hang on! I'll heal you!"

"Baku… first…"

"Zako!" echoed a voice above. "I see them, zako!"

"Dom blast them!"

"Hey, I was going to shoot them!" Zapper protested.

The rock ceiling rumbled and crumbled further as a heavy form rolled overhead. Aleda screeched and ducked as rocks started to fall.

Grypapa's blue cylindrical claw shot above them, crushing rocks to dust and catching falling debris on his thick arms. "What was that?!" Zapper shouted. Wide shafts of moonlight spilled in.

Several boulders—and, out of sight, several Dark Axis robots—weighed down on Grypapa's arms. "Hurry and help them!" he said.

"Pull them out, Aleda!" Gunbike urged. "Now!"

"There's no time!" Guneagle objected. "Counter them!"

"I have no line of sight!" Gunbike revved.

Zero blinked the haziness out of his processor, his systems cooling from the influx of fresh air.

The moonlight turned to black, except for a single purple eye bearing down on them. "Target locked."

Zero gasped and raised his hand as the bazooka nozzle appeared overhead. "Mana!"

Boom! The missile exploded against a glowing blue barrier, creating a fiery umbrella to flash across.

In a second, the explosion had died. "Good, Zero!" Baku said, though he winced from the use of his voice box.

"Dom reload…" Dom sullenly said.

"Move outta the way!" Zapper growled. "You always try to steal the fun…!" He launched a tirade against his partner while the robotic powerhouse loaded another missile, as signaled by clicking and heavy scraping noises.

Zero, trembling, dropped his arm. "Zero!" Aleda cried.

Baku grabbed her shoulder. "Aleda, your fire..."

"What?"

"Zero told me—*cough* *cough*—you use fire. Use it on the Dark Axis!"

Aleda's emerald eyes widened. "I can't!"

"You can burn them?!" Guneagle cried. "Do it!"

But, the Gundamess shook at this command. Her emerald eyes clouded, and she pressed her hands against the rocky terrain to steady herself.

"Give that here!" Zapper demanded of Dom. "I want to try it!"

"These are DOM's weapons!" Dom retorted.

"Cummon, kid! Use yer magic!" Gunbike yelled at Aleda. "This is no time to get weak-jointed!"

"Aleda," Zero said. She looked up, her eyes in desperate search for his anchoring presence. In the dim light, his blue eyes burned white-hot with determination, and she latched on. "You can," he grated out.

"I can't! I'll burn…!" She gripped the rock so tightly that it crushed in her white fingers.

"We need you."

Aleda's GunSoul fluttered.

"Please. We need you." Zero's fingers twitched, but they were far away from his lady. His magic had depleted so much that his proprioception was failing: though he knew that Aleda could not be ten feet away, it suddenly seemed to his dizzy mind that she and Baku were as far as twenty. Any more magic, and he'd lose consciousness for sure; he couldn't protect his beloved Little Wing. "Use your magic." _And save yourself, _he silently prayed.

A scuffle broke out aboveground between Zapper Zaku and Dom. Clangs and clanks sounded, then bangs, and the earth overhead shifted. A boulder slipped off Grypapa's arm, straight over Zero's helmet.

The Lady's heart lurched, and flames poured forth. The whole pocket surrounding Zero flooded. The fire flushed upward through the open channels of earth and scorched the Dark Axis army above; pained cries rained down.

Aleda recoiled in the face of the immense heat, though her gaze never left the blaze. "Zero!" she cried. Her staring eyes welled with tears. "Zero!"

The rocks touched by the flames melted, burning a large hole overhead. Molten rock gushed into Zero's cavern.

Baku shielded the Gundamess with one armored arm as the falling liquid rock flushed the flames their way and then snuffed them, like breath blowing a candle. "Zero!" Aleda cried again.

Rocks stirred, and Zero's groan wafted from the simmering embers. Blue eyes resumed their glow. An orb—his GunSoul—shone through the dust, as, unnoticed by the spectators, so did Aleda's.

"Zero?" Baku called.

The Knight Gundam, coughing, shrugged off rock dust and ashes and brushed away flickering flames and lava drops while he shakily crawled to his feet in the new spacious cavity left by the fire magic. "I'm fine," he said. His GunSoul's light faded.

Aleda watched him, shaking, stunned silent by disbelief, oblivious to the dimming glimmer of her core.

Another throaty grunt cleared the soot from Zero's voice box. "*cough*—Actually, I feel better than fine." He, wobbling slightly, turned to his trembling Lady with a comforting smile. "Your fire spell healed my wounds, milady."

"How…?" Aleda whispered.

"Owowow, hot!" Zapper continued to screech as he streaked across the moonlight sky with his rear on fire. Many jet-strapped and steaming Zakos spun and flailed trying to shake off leftover flames. Dom hovered in place, all charcoal black except for his blinking eye.

Gunbike drove further into the whole rocky mess. "Don't move, Grypapa," he said to the robot still stretching his arms across the gap. His rear-mounted missile launchers folded outward and slid up as he continued, "I'm gonna clear us some space! Magic shields, somebody! Ev'ryone brace yerselves!" The launchers locked into place and fired guided missiles that arched to reach the boulders and enemy robots. Explosions shattered rocks and again scorched the Dark Axis.

Debris showered down. Zero tottered to Baku and Aleda and fell across his friends to shield them. A magical blue dome sprang over, encased them, and ballooned to absorb Guneagle. Fist-sized rocks and the edges of hot clouds bounced off the shield's surface. Aleda clung to her knight's arm.

Once the rocks settled and the dust cleared, the Knight Gundam rolled to the side with a moan. "Zero?" Aleda leaned over him in concern.

Zero's eyescreens flickered. "Magic fatigue," he whispered before his eyes darkened.

…

Shute rocketed over a rusty fence that bore a decorative plaque reading _"Mecha Land."_ With some careful steering and help from the distance data in his readouts, he landed on weathered, cracked pavement with vines crawling between the breaks in the cement, in the courtyard at the park entrance.

His visual scanners roved over the steel buildings whose colorful, sharp designs were only marred by reddish rust stripes. The doors, sheltered by overhangs, remained silver, aside from the ones that vandals had broken open. Yellows, reds, and blues had combined with silver in order to give warmth to the architecture, but over the years of neglect, the bright paint had discolored and chipped. Any remaining color, though, the night sky hid well enough that only the top corners graced by moonlight had any visible hue.

Leading from the main entrance area, a wide path passed under a straddling huge steel sculpture of a mecha. Vandals, however, had somehow defaced the statue: the metal twisted off at its neck, and its dented head lay in a spider-crack in the middle of the paved walkway. Shute shuddered, sending a rattle echoing into the still park.

"_What's wrong, Shute?" _Kao Lyn said over his comm. _"You're afraid." _

"It's nothing," Shute said.

"_Okay, well, be careful! Go slow and scan everything so they won't surprise you!" _

The mecha-boy tried a nervous swallow but could only flush dusty air through his voicebox. "Affirmative."

Shute walked around the statue's head and entered the ghostly battlefield.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, just to clarify my invented Gundam biology, here: Sola Diorama Gundams are alive but not organic. They're not converting oxygen to CO2, because they don't need to. Air for them only is a coolant. However, in that tight space underground, with a limited amount of air that is not being properly circulated, the air gets hot, which defeats the cooling system and starts familiar overheating machinery problems. Guneagle and the other Neotopia Gundams have liquid cooling systems installed as a backup—or else, Captain and the Gundivers wouldn't have been able to stay underwater in episode 16—and more efficient systems that produce less heat. Guneagle would have held out for a while, though eventually even he would have had some trouble. If reading that part made you a bit confused and think "How could they 'run out of air'?" then please let me know, and I'll tweak it to make that clear.

Some people may have questions about Aleda's wings. They open up like that when she's on edge. As for why, it'll spoil it if I say ;) Stay tuned.

As I said before, handling all the different scenes was difficult, and I had multiple orders before finally settling on this one. Does it flow well? Does it make sense? Please, let me know! Reviews, please!

I'm catching up on my workload, so I _think_ the next chapter will be out sooner than this one was (though now that I've said that, God is probably laughing and planning to mess it all up for kicks).

Another reminder: please vote in that poll! It's still on my profile page.

Thanks again to my beta, _Titanic X_!

See you next time!

-Penelopi


	19. Hauntings

**Author's Notes**

I did it again and pushed the deadline XD I was going to finish up this arc in this chapter, but it was getting long, so it's been shortened; the arc finale will happen in Chapter 20, which has already got a couple thousand words.

After Chapter 20, though, I'm going to take a brief break. For three weeks, I will catch up on schoolwork and work work (just started a tutoring job), work on some other fics I really want to do, and plan for the rest of _Little Wing_. The purpose of this is to avoid burnout, which I've been dangerously close to reaching. Once the three weeks are over, I will be back with renewed enthusiasm, ready to bring in an adventure in Lacroa and a few original characters tied into some other characters' backstories, including some important figures in Baku's past. ;) I said he had more coming up, didn't I? I've been waiting forever to bring in these characters, and I love them a lot, so I hope you do, too! :)

Thanks, _Titanic X_, for bearing with me in the beta-reading process. :)

Btw, that one person (I don't know who you are) who voted saying that another character ought to show up more: would you mind PMing me which character? Thanks!

Enjoy, everyone, and please review!

**Disclaimer**

Bandai and Sunrise own SD Gundam Force. I, on the other hand, own a few OCs that I'm not allowed to make money off of: Aleda, Titan, and... well, those are the only ones who show up in this chapter. XD

* * *

**Chapter 19: Hauntings **

Captain sat against the wall beside the chained Titan, and Margaret huddled on his other side. Actually, the girl shivered. "It's getting a bit cold," she murmured as she hugged herself to try to cover both her shins and her arms at the same time.

"Stay close to us if you require more body heat," Captain said.

Margaret nodded and leaned against him, which triggered a blush on the boy's face. Captain gulped down his stomach butterflies, though, and turned to Titan. "You said that your injuries were serious. Is there a way for us to treat you with our current resources?" The chains linked Titan's foot to the leg of an empty shelf and still bound his hands. Under normal circumstances, a Gundam could tear the furniture leg and hobble to freedom, but in his current state, Titan had barely enough strength to turn his head.

Titan cough-scoffed. "Ha—urk! …Do you have magic?" he rhetorically remarked.

Captain shook his head. "That, we do not have."

"My GunSoul," Titan huffed, shifting his bound hands to uncover his gem, "has a crack. A break would kill me."

"You require an adhesive?" Captain moved, and Margaret lifted her head so he could reach through his pockets. "Aha." He held Shute's super-glue shooter in the glow of Titan's eyescreens. "This is a very strong adhesive. It should temporarily prevent the crack from spreading."

Titan stared at the white hilt, then looked away. Captain could tell by mental comparison to Zero and Baku's past facial expressions that the Knight Gundam was grimacing behind his faceplate. "You don't want to?"

"…I have no choice. Do it."

Captain felt the GunSoul until he found the crack on its edge, near the dent in Titan's chest armor, then pressed the tip of the Glue Shooter against it, and triggered it. Titan winced, then shuddered. The clinking of his chains startled Margaret into a silent jump. "There," Captain said. "This should hold until Aleda or Zero can heal you."

"Thank you." Titan's tremors of disgust subsided.

Captain settled back in his spot beside Margaret, slipping the Glue Shooter again into his pocket. "Did you make that?" Margaret asked.

"My friend did. I am surprised that Grappler Gouf did not think to search me." Captain opened his mouth to say more, but then he paused, and his green eyes focused on something unseen—well, it must have been unseen, because they stared at an uninteresting blank wall. _Shute. _

"Shute?" Margaret said.

Captain jolted. "Y-Yes?"

"What's wrong?"

"I had the feeling that someone is here to help."

The rumble of several backpack jets sounded some distance past their enclosure. "Correct," Titan observed.

"What do you know of Grappler's plan, Titan?" Captain asked.

"No more than you."

"Your master. Was he…?"

Titan shook his head, his hazel eyes turning a mournful deep green. "Dead. For fifteen years."

Margaret frowned.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Captain said.

Titan glumly nodded. Then, he asked, "Is Aleda safe?"

Captain winced. "I don't know."

The hazel eyes flashed in alarm. "What?"

"She went to help rescue our friends."

"Hey, guys, what's going on, exactly?" Margaret spoke up, drawing the guys' attention.

A grim line crossed Captain's face as he deliberated. "We can't tell you too much," he finally said, "but we're facing people who have committed many serious crimes. We are in danger." The girl quivered. "So, you must be cautious and follow our lead."

"What should we do?" Margaret asked. "Should we stay here and wait? Or should we try to escape?"

"Now that I remember the Glue Shooter—the adhesive I just used," Captain explained, "an escape attempt is possible but still risky. And, we would be unable to take Titan with us, because he cannot walk, and we are not strong enough to carry him."

"Go on," Titan rasped.

"But, Titan, together we could—" Captain began.

"—Foolish—*cough*—Go."

"I don't like the thought of leaving you alone, either," Margaret put in. "Maybe we can use a cart? I think there are some left here." Squeezing herself tighter, she added, "Plus, the ghost might come around."

"Ghost?" Captain questioned.

"They say that a ghost haunts this park," Margaret said. "It's probably just a story, but there have been sightings over the years, so I figure someone might be wandering around here." She bit her lip. "I don't want to stay here and get in trouble with a crazy person."

"That is a more likely explanation," Captain acknowledged. "But, what is the story?"

The girl smirked. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about it, already. I'll give you the short version."

…

"Magic fatigue."

Zero's eyescreens switched off, and his head lolled against an adjacent rock. Aleda quickly touched his cheek and shut her optics. Her other hand carefully met the other side of his face, and she bent low, as if to hear some whisper of his. "He's alive," she breathed in relief.

"Of course," Baku huffed. "He wouldn't die that quick."

"You need healing, too." Aleda stiffly, as in a daze, shifted to touch Baku's GunSoul.

"Sorry 'bout the rock shower," Gunbike remarked.

"You need better aim, sir," Guneagle jabbed.

"Stop drop and roll, lugnuts!" Zapper barked above them. Thuds and cracks sounded.

"Hurry up, gurl!" Gunbike ordered.

Aleda's hand glowed, and blue light infused into Bakunetsumaru's gem, erasing the crack from the inside-out. Dents, scrapes, and incisions in his armor filled and faded. Groaning, Baku climbed out of the rocks and dusted off his armor. The blackness on his side flaked away. "See? Not burnt," he reiterated. "This is flame-resistant armor."

"Guneagle, can ya get up or no?" the flier's wheel-bound senior asked of him.

"No, sir. My hydraulics aren't working so well," Guneagle answered, twitching his remaining arm and wing to demonstrate their jarring clicks.

"I see, son. Yer gonna hafta get dragged by somebody. Baku, get 'im out."

Baku nodded. "Alright," he said and stepped across the rocks to his comrade.

Illumination of the eyescreens and shifting of the head signaled Zero's return to consciousness. "Zero?" Aleda said.

"Milady...?"

"Good, he's up. Aleda, get yer boyfriend and get into my seat," Gunbike barked.

Red bloomed on her face, but Aleda slipped an arm beneath him and, with the knight's help, pulled him to his feet. He leaned weakly against her shoulder as they stumbled to Gunbike's car.

"How long was I...?" Zero murmured.

"Only a minute," Aleda reassured him.

"Searching for targets," boomed Dom's voice. Thud! The layer of rock above them groaned.

"They're coming down!" Grypapa shouted. "What should I do?!"

"Hurry an' get in!" Gunbike said as Zero and Aleda came beside him in the narrow space. "Both 'ya get real cozy: it's gonna be a tight fit! An' don't be arguin', knight," he added as Zero's vents lit to precede a protest, "We don't got time fer that!"

Zero, his frame still fragilely rattling, slid into the seat, and Aleda lowered herself onto his lap. As the clear enclosure enfolded them, the Winged Knight curled his arms firmly around his lady's waist and reeled her close. The warmth against her back seeped into her core, and, desiring to return the reassuring gesture, she, timidly, grasped his arms.

Baku carried Guneagle towards Grypapa, though his knee joints wobbled so much that he nearly fell. His charge's remaining wing knocked him in the back of the helm. "Sorry! You okay, Bossa Nova?" Guneagle asked, even though he himself had burnt nubs where his other arm and wing should have been.

"It's Bakunetsumaru!" Baku objected. After a pause to suck in air, he continued, "And I'm fine. Just need to rest, later."

Baku flung himself and Guneagle on Grypapa's long hood.

The thick, dark form of Dom broke into the chamber, kicking up a cloud of dust. His single eye, haloed by a purple-tinted hazy ring, beamed through as he straightened. "Targets acquired."

Guneagle looked up. "Ah, sh—!"

The bazooka rocket flew, and a cluster of smaller missiles intercepted, sparking a short-range blast. "Cummon, let's git!" Gunbike yelled. Grypapa behind him retreated backwards.

But, more thuds and a swarm of purple eyes in the haze signaled additional arrivals. Zapper strolled up next to Dom, smirking at the other end of his machine gun. "Hello, ladies."

…

Shute kept his beam rifle's sights trained ahead as he slowly marched through the main path of Mecha Land. He circled behind a mecha-horse merry-go-round. Its pole-less horses were designed to move via magnetic levitation. Some stood upright in the grooves that locked them to the base while deactivated, while others had toppled and lay on their sides, all staring from empty rusted eyes. Shute's arms shook, again.

_"Shute—" _

"Ahh!" He yelped and jet a foot into the air.

"—_are you alright?" _

Shute sighed and lowered to the cracked paving. _It's just Kao Lyn. _"Yes, sir."

"_Are you sure?" _Kao Lyn repeated into his audio. _"It's important that we communicate truthfully during a mission." _

Shute glanced around at the rusty coaster-tops and the paling Ferris wheel. "Well… this place feels a bit spooky," he admitted.

"_I didn't know you were afraid of spooky things." _

"I'm not, except…" Shute zoomed his optics in on a face and found, to his relief, that it was only a whitewashed statue nestled between shops. "People talk about this place."

"_The ghost stories? Those are all fantasy," _the scientist said dismissively. _"There is no ghost there, so don't worry." _

From behind a nearby storefront, Grappler grinned and stroked a claw over his chin thoughtfully.

…

"Mecha Land opened ten years ago," Margaret began. "It used the best technology, especially of robotics, for all its attractions. But, in the first year, there was an accident at the Ferris wheel. Two workers were performing maintenance, and the one on the ground accidentally turned it on for a test while the other was still standing on a car—or, at least, that was the official story. Some people said he did it on purpose," she reported grimly. "The worker on the Ferris wheel fell off and died. After that, people coming to the park kept saying that they saw him around the Ferris wheel, and weird accidents kept popping up all over the place."

"People were injured?" Captain inquired.

Margaret nodded. "Yeah. People fell off rides. Cars dropped on people, too. They tested the equipment and systems over and over again and made lots of repairs, but the accidents still happened. Three years later, they had to close down the park. There are still sightings reported, though."

"Of the ghost?"

"Mhm. They say that he's waiting for his murderer to come back so he can have revenge; they fired the guy who did it, so he never went to the park after that."

"It is an interesting story, but there is no evidence that ghosts exist," Captain stated.

"Yeah, I know. There can still be dangerous things out there, though."

"I heard," Titan grated out, "human footsteps." Fear rippled Margaret's spine.

Captain narrowed his eyes. "Before we arrived?"

"Yes."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." He broke into a cough.

"The most likely explanation is a vandal." Captain stood. "The danger that I am most concerned about, right now, is Grappler Gouf. Let's search the room for other exits."

"Sure." Margaret felt the wall to lift herself.

Captain skimmed his hands along the wall, shimmying around Titan ("Excuse me.") to find a corner of the room, and he slid his fingers up and down the seam while Margaret pat every inch of the wall. "It is more efficient to search the weak points of a structure, first," Captain pointed out when he heard the slap of her palm against the flat steel.

"Oh, yeah, you're right." Margaret glided in the opposite direction until she touched another corner. She stretched almost to the ceiling, and then eased to the floor, feeling along for a weak spot in the decaying building. Finding none, she said, "I'll try the edge of the floor."

"The door hinges, too," Captain said.

They continued the blind search for several minutes. "Anything?"

"Negative."

"The room seems to be all metal, too," Margaret mused. "What else could we do?" A strand of escaped hair blew into her face. She wrinkled her nose and brushed it behind her ear. Then, she froze. "Wait."

Captain watched the girl intently, and Titan raised his head. Margaret raised her hand, and, slowly, she followed it to the back corner. "An air vent," she said. Her long arms teased the rusted grate. "It's not in good shape. I think I can take the grill off."

"Do it, carefully," Captain said. "If rust enters your bloodstream, then you can become dangerously ill."

"Alright." Margaret gripped the edges and pulled.

...

The moonlight fled before a thick cloud, leaving the park even darker than before. Shute crept through, eyeing the distant gear-shaped Ferris-wheel and veering away from the dilapidated building labeled "Little Laboratory of Horrors." In the dim lighting, he sensed his way forward by the yellow infrared heat images of weeds. Nothing moved.

Then, a low shuffle reached his audios. Shute halted and primed his sensors. Something shifted just beyond the bend of the photo souvenir stand for a steel coaster. His beam rifle trained on the corner. The shuffling approached the edge, and then...

Clack!

Shute jolted and fired his beam rifle. "Zako..." After the shot, an unfortunate Zako smoked on the walkway.

"Oh." Shute lowered the end of the rifle. "It's just a Zako." He scanned side-to-side, then, suppressing a shiver, all the way around with his optical sensors and various scanners. After all, where there was one Zako, the rest were sure to follow. "What is Grappler up to?" he whispered to himself. Sensing no one in his periphery, Shute leveled his gun and shield and clunked forward. Between the echoes of his steps, he could hear jangling metal ahead. The sound brought amusement: this was the first time that the Zakos had ever trembled in fear of _him_. Even if it was caused by another's legacy.

Weeds softened his steps as he crossed the courtyard. A hiss wafted around the photo stand at the roller coaster's exit, "Ssh! Quiet, zako!"

Shute wished dearly that he could have grinned. Stepping over the unconscious Zako, he rounded the back of the small structure and pointed his rifle. Four Zakos cowered before him, their guns rattling in their stubby hands. "I have been granted special dispensation to use firearms in the defense of Neotopia," Shute smugly recited the familiar line. "Lower your weapons and surrender, or I will take forceful measures."

Four guns clattered on the ground. "We surrender! Don't shoot us!" they squealed.

_"Great work, Shute!" _Kao Lyn said over the comm. _"Have them tell you where to find their hostages." _

"Where are the hostages?"

"Th-th-they're—!"

"What's that, zako?!"

"I won't fall for that trick," Shute said. But, because they continued to stare behind him, he rotated his head to see.

A pale man wearing a long-sleeved over-shirt and pants, thick boots, and a cap ambled along a storefront. Shute zoomed in his vision to observe this out-of-place passerby. _Is he a vandal? _he wondered. But, he heard no footsteps, nor did he sense body heat through his infrared sensors. "Sir? Sir, you're in danger, here!" Shute called.

The man stopped and turned his head, which angled strangely. He stared blankly through broken eyeglasses. "Sir...?" Shute's calls fell to whispers as dread welled in his chest, quickening his Soul Drive's spins. The man rotated the rest of his body to face him and, head lolling, strode quickly towards him.

Beams fired before Shute registered that he had pulled the trigger. The Zakos behind him screamed and ran the other way.

Black scorches marked the man—no, the building through the man—behind the man? He continued to grow in Shute's vision, unaffected by that black patch. Another two shots landed smoking hits on the same surface, and still the man approached.

Shute's eyes shrunk, and his armor clattered against his Gundamium hide. "G-Ghost?!" He pivoted to run, tripped over a crack, fell, scrambled to his feet, then spun his heel-wheels to zip away.

_"Shute!" _Kao Lyn shouted into his audio. _"Stop!" _

He screeched to a halt. "What?"

_"That's an illusion!" _

Shute turned. The ghost had grown in size, but his sensors indicated neither change in distance— nor the presence of anything that could approach him. The forehead of the ghost clipped off at the top of the building. "A projection."

_"Right. Go get him!" _

Lowering his head, Shute charged at the figure, wheels whirling. As he closed the distance to the building, he rotated his head to follow the projection's light; it funneled to the tip of the roller coaster, where, Shute's acute vision revealed, Grappler Gouf stood beaming down the shaft of light. Shute aimed. Grappler's one eye widened.

...

Gunbike roared, "Take this, scum!" But, his missile launchers clicked to no effect. "Doggone, I'm outta ammo!"

"Night-night, Gundams," Zapper sneered. His trigger finger curled.

A purple beam hit him just below the chest. "Agh!" Zapper recoiled.

"You missed!" Guneagle scolded Baku. The two leaned on Grypapa's hood, Baku propping Guneagle's beam rifle in the crook of his arm. "Go for the center, Bossa Nova!"

"I did! This is the first time I've used a gun!" Baku snapped.

"Go, go!" Gunbike shouted above them. "Grypapa, retreat, now!"

The giant blue box of a robot jerked backward, yanking his clawed arms out, as Gunbike reversed. Tumbling loose rocks at the edges of the pit dragged some Zakos down with them, though a few remembered their jet packs soon enough to stay above the danger.

"Hold it!" Zapper yelled as he and Dom primed their weapons.

Aleda lifted her hands. "Oh, Mana...!" She brushed her hands across the air, spreading a sheet of shining blue in front of Gunbike's retreating form. Zero's arms squeezed, and she felt heat trickle into her—not from his normal charming aura, but from an influx of energy. Like stilling waters, the barrier sharpened and deepened in hue.

Blasts and bullets slammed into the barrier, but it stood, unwavering. "I'll protect you," Zero muttered into Aleda's audio. "I'll protect..." His feathered v-fin tapped the back of her helmet as his head tipped forward.

"Zero!" Aleda gripped his arms, which remained stiff and taught around her even in unconsciousness.

Zapper and Dom spluttered in frustration: "Why can't we hit them?!" "Dom will destroy Gundams!"

Baku rocked unsteadily on his feet; his recovering body could not quite stabilize him. But, he managed to cross his swords in a familiar stance. "Tenkyoken!" His slash sent a flaming x blazing to the Dark Axis 'bots.

Zapper dove. Dom wheeled out of the x's path. Baku groaned in dismay when his flames passed them.

Aleda lifted her hands, staring intently at the fire, and tugged an imaginary line. Baku's x turned and barreled back, toasting Zakos on the way. Zapper gasped, "What?!" and scrambled, but too late. The attack swept him up. "Owowow!"

Dom skittered around the small cavern space, but the flames chased him into a corner. "Ahhhhh!" The cave came down.

The Gundam Force and Grypapa rotated in the tunnels and barreled to safety amidst the screams and crashing rock. "Did you do that?" Baku called to Aleda as they rumbled along.

The Gundamess blushed and nodded. "Yeah."

Baku grinned. Guneagle gave a thumbs up with his remaining hand. "Nice!"

Aleda smiled for a moment, but then turned her head to try to see the Knight Gundam behind her. "Zero?" His eyescreens blinked on, and he curled his arms tighter around her before they blinked off, again.

Baku laughed at Aleda's bright red face. "He missed you!"

She touched Zero's hand, eyes moistening. His desperate grip clutched her GunSoul more tightly than any physical bind.

"Welcome home, babe!" Guneagle chimed.

Inside the muffling effect of Gunbike's cabin, Aleda sucked in a sob. Home. The nest of warmth surrounding her couldn't be anything less than that.

...

Grappler jumped aside, and the beam rifle's purple shot grazed the tip of his curved shoulder-spike, leaving a rising wisp of steam. The ghostly projection vanished. Shute's infrared sensors traced Grappler's form as it dodged down a couple of rickety maintenance steps. He took another shot. Bang! A rusted plank snapped under Gouf's weight, and he fell out of the beam's path. "Aw, man!" Shute grunted.

Gouf's jetpack flared and caught his fall. "Whoa!" He rocketed under another loop to evade more purple shots.

Each firing of the beam rifle smattered bright dots across Shute's infrared vision. "I can't see him," he hissed.

_"Get closer to him, Shute." _This time, Chief Haro spoke. _"Try to corner him so that he'll tell us the location of the hostages." _

"Right."

Shute activated his own jets. Drips of a burgeoning rainstorm began to tink on Shute's rising frame. The track of heat signatures led him past the rusted rail coaster to a row of low buildings that had once housed less jarring attractions. Shute landed in the lane, his heavy feet squelching in the mud. A set of fresh, triangular prints led into a building with the faded letters: _"Laser Light Maze." _

_What's that? _Shute wondered as he stalked through the doorway. His infrared sensors detected nothing in the pitch black ahead, but his proximity sensors did. Shute mentally prompted his UI to switch to night vision. In the pale green glow, he saw an approaching, boxy shadow and halted. The stranger simultaneously stopped. Shute aimed the beam rifle, and the shadow's parallel motion made him—and the opponent—jump. Shute froze and studied the shape: no heat, no contours measurable by his proximity sensors, and no sound came from it. He sighed and straightened. "It's my reflection."

The passage led sharply to the left. Shute peered around the corner and spotted a similar shadow mirroring him a few meters down. A glance up showed patches of murky light where the wear of time and looters had torn the roofing. _"This isn't good, Shute," _Chief Haro said. _"This is a difficult place to navigate. Grappler Gouf must have deliberately led you here." _

"What do you think he's going to do?" Shute asked, creeping forward warily.

_"All we can tell is that he wants to confuse you. You may be headed for a trap." _

"Roger."

The next junction was also bordered by mirrors, but it widened. Shute turned on the headlights embedded in his helmet and swept his scope across the open space. Bright light glared back in his optics. And, a glint of light blue.

He jerked his focus back to the blue, but Grappler's huge shoulderguard horn moved in a thousand mirrors and vanished. "Get back here!" Shute shouted, running into the middle of the kaleidoscope.

His enemy's laughter carried over the maze—and even that echoed. Shute spun wildly to locate Grappler, but all he could see were endless repetitions of himself.

"How does it feel to be cornered, Gundam?"

Zzzt!

Shute jumped at a gleam of red. His internal diagnostic system alerted him to damage in his torso armor. He glanced down to see a simmering scorch on his side. A large shape darted out of the many panels.

"Your reaction time is good, Captain Gundam," Grappler sneered, "but even you can't dodge at the speed of light."

"The lasers!" Shute gasped.

"Bingo!" the voice echoed. "I've intensified the lasers used in the attraction. I can fry you before you even see me."

Shute ducked behind his shield and scanned the area warily. "Where are the hostages?"

A nozzle flashed into view.

Zzzt! He stumbled forward from a shot ricocheting into his back.

"You'll never know, Gundam!" A laugh reverberated through the maze. "I don't negotiate with an enemy who's lost!"

Shute, standing, aimed his beam rifle into a branching passage. "Mirrors bounce both ways, Grappler!" He fired, and the beam cracked the mirror, scattering tiny purple lines in each direction.

A stray branch nicked Shute's foot lining.

A million reeling Grapplers tumbled in sight. "What the—?!"

"No one uses this place, so I can just destroy it all, can't I?" Shute taunted, walking into the pathway that he had partially shattered. _I didn't expect it to break, though, _he silently admitted.

Grappler scampered out of the mirrors' range, again. "Wait! You don't want to do that! The hostages are in here!"

Shute paused in his step. "You're lying!"

"Are you willing to risk that? They're tied up and gagged just out of sight. You'd never know unless I told you."

"I know you're bluffing. Come out, or I'll make you come out!" _But, what if he's not lying? _

"You'll regret it!"

_If I make him think I'll shoot, then he'll surrender, even if the hostages are here, right? _Shute tried to reason. He cocked the rifle. "I'm going to count to three. One."

No sound or movement.

"Two."

A clack echoed.

Shute stood still, listening to every drum of rain and swish of dust. "Last chance, Grappler!"

A clatter sounded above him. "Too late!" The purple eye descended with a glinting blade.

Shute rolled, heard the blade crash into the floor, and whipped his rifle around for a bayonet slash. The two sharply met. Clang! They pressed, testing each other's arm hydraulics and joint stability.

"Impressive as ever," Grappler said. "I was starting to think that you'd lost your touch." He shoved, and Shute slid.

Shute moved the shield as if to swing, but Grappler jumped back, and, when Shute hesitated, snatched it in his off-hand claws. "I take it back," he scoffed. "You're definitely off, today."

"Let go!" Shute growled with a tug.

"No." Grappler dug his claws into the shield and yanked. It clattered to the floor ribbed with long gouges.

Shute fired, and while Grappler danced aside, he tossed the rifle to his other hand, reached back, and pulled out his beam saber.

"Oh~" Grappler flexed his claws. "This should be interesting."

Shute poised himself. _Here goes nothing, Guneagle… _

...

Captain wiggled to steady his footing on Margaret's thick shoulders. Hugging the wall, he, straining, raised himself to eye level with the open vent. "You got it?" Margaret gasped.

"I found it," Captain hoarsely replied. He felt the insides of the vent. Slippery dust congealed on his fingertips. "Hold on. I'm trying to find traction." He rubbed back and forth to wipe the dust, and then he brushed his hands together to dust them. Margaret coughed and sneezed below him, shaking his stance. Captain grabbed the edge of the vent and called down, "I'm sorry, Margaret!"

"It's okay—*cough*!"

Captain peered into the dark, square tunnel. "Alright. I'm ready. 3, 2, 1..." Taking a deep breath and bracing his hands against the sides, he hefted himself up while Margaret pushed his legs. He slid in on his belly nicely: the sweatshirt glided easily against the smooth steel. However, the initial push was not enough to bring his legs in, and he grabbed, kicked, and flailed like a drowning fish to propel himself further in. After a few seconds, he announced, "I'm inside!"

"Great! Hurry! Go!" Margaret urged.

Captain crawled. The sides rubbed his elbows as he swam though the blackness. Instinctively, he called forth his headlights—and in the next second, he remembered that he lacked that function. _Human visibility is very limited, _he observed.

He extended his hand to pull himself another inch forward, but he grasped empty air. He tipped. With a cry, he smacked his hand on the ledge face below and caught himself. There was that tingly adrenaline surge, again. Captain's panting echoed forward and downward. He steadied his breaths and shimmied a few inches back from the ledge. _There is a drop ahead. Should I take it? _he wondered. _Could I make it across if I tried? _He clenched his sore knuckles. _What would Shute do? _

A memory came to him, of Shute and himself poised on the roof of Shute's workshop, Shute holding a paper airplane at eye level. _"Which way?" _the boy had hummed, peering across the white edge of his creation. Next, he'd licked his thumb and held it in the air.

_"What are you doing?" _Captain had asked.

_"Feeling the wind. It's blowing this way." _Shute had said, pointing to the right. Then, with a thrust, the plane had sailed down the hill, jumped up another, and dipped out of sight all the way on the other side, as the boy cheered it on.

Captain scooched to the ledge, dipped his thumb in his mouth, and then held it in the open air. After a few seconds, a breeze cooled his wet finger from below. "Down it is," he muttered.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, next chap will be the wrap-up of this fun little arc. That also means Maggie's going to lose her buddy, doesn't it? :( But, I don't want this to be the last time we see her, so I think she'll show up, again, someday.

Magic healing did weird stuff this time, didn't it? The next chapter will explain it some more, so for now, I'll refrain from elaborating here. And, for Baku's armor, I thought it would make sense for him to have fire-resistant armor, considering what he likes to play with. Sure, Fenn was able to scorch him like a black marshmallow, but… eh, Fenn had hotter fire, I guess? I just can't imagine that Baku _wouldn't_ have something to protect against fire.

I feel bad for making Guneagle lose an arm, but like Captain, he can get a replacement pretty easily. I figured someone would have to lose a limb from the mines, and it would be tougher on Baku or Zero, whom Kao Lyn can't repair.

In the Author's Notes of Chapter 20, I'll post a preview of what's going to happen after my little break, so you all can have something to look forward to ;) Stay tuned!

Reviews of this chapter would make my day. :) Seriously, guys, whenever I see in my e-mail that someone reviewed one of my stories, I get really excited and grin like an idiot. That e-mail is opened like 3 seconds after I see it XD So, please review!

Thanks for beta-reading, _Titanic X_!

-Penelopi

P.S.: I just finished watching _After War Gundam X_, and it's one of my favorite main Gundam series, ever! I wasn't much of a fan of _Gundam Wing_ (*le gasp!* I know, and my fic centers on a chibi Gundam based on its titular suit XD), but this is like _Gundam Wing_ with more relatable characters. Well, another main difference is that it doesn't have many space scenes, in comparison, but I didn't really mind. I think _Gundam X_ was unfairly discarded. It has great character development, interesting world-building, great story and presentation, a very relatable main protagonist, and one of the most adorable romances in any Gundam series! And, if you liked the aesthetics of _Gundam Wing_, it has the same art style and sound effects. Give it a shot if you haven't, yet!


	20. In-Sync

**Author's Notes**

Hey, all! It's been a while since you last heard from me. Many apologies: this chapter ended up longer than I expected, and I couldn't post it up without thoroughly editing it. Not to mention I had health issues that sucked up time and energy. But, I can now say that I am pneumonia-free! Yay! :D

Thank you, _Titanic X_, for looking over this long chapter multiple times!

As I mentioned before, this is the last chapter before I go on a three-week break from writing _Little Wing _to catch up on homework, work on other writing, tend to family, avoid burnout, etc. I hope you enjoy! :) But, as I promised, in the Author's Notes after the chapter is a preview of a few scenes coming up in the arc after my break.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**

I don't own SD Gundam Force, so don't come asking me to make another episode, because I can't ;) But, I can write these little unofficial stories which include my OCs like Aleda, Titan, and Margaret.

* * *

**Chapter 20: In-Sync**

Shute waited, as did Grappler, each warrior staring at the other, hydraulics and pistons wound to spring, alert for even the slightest creak of a joint that would signal movement.

As they studied each other, Grappler followed a nagging strand of memory tugging at his CPU, whispering to him that he had been in a similar situation before. He tracked it through the pits of early failures, back beyond sinking Komusais and six-armed Musha Gundams, past space-bending mustached robots and recent zaps to the frame, to a time in a construction district, when he had stood off against the quick and precise Bakunetsumaru. He had moved first that time, but this time he knew better. There was no way he would lose focus—

Grappler blinked, and the beam saber was shining violet directly in front of his face. "Woah!" He deflected it with his sword, redirecting the blow so that it missed his arm and caught his shoulderguard horn, instead.

The tip sheared off, and Grappler grumbled at the stump, "Darn! It took weeks to weld that!"

Shute cut to slash across Grappler's chest, but the claws intercepted, and he fired the beam rifle. With a flick of the wrist, the shot bounced off the flat of Gouf's sword and landed by Shute's square toe. "What? You thought I couldn't get fancy with swords, too?" Grappler sneered at Shute's stare.

The Neotopian flashed a narrow-eyed, determined emote in his eyescreens and again tried to knock away Grappler's claws and shoot. His shot bounced off the sword. He bat aside the blade, and that time Grappler twisted the nozzle aside with his claws and it missed.

"Come on!"

"What? It's not like I'm gonna let you hit me!"

Another quick scuffle, and the next shot grazed Grappler's leg. "Alright, Gundam!" Grappler spat. He lashed out, and a tube clattered to the floor. The beam rifle's barrel was two inches shorter, sawed cleanly at an angle.

_Aw, man! How do I use it, now? _Shute wondered as he gawked at the pointy tip.

Grappler leapt at him. Shute jerked his eyes from the gun and stomped on his discarded shield. Clank! Grappler's knee banged against the upright shield, and the Dark Axis squad leader recoiled.

"Tch! This has gone on long enough," Grappler said, rounding to face a mirror-lined corridor.

Before Shute could finish his cry of, "Wait!" the goon had bolted halfway around the corner. Shute-Gundam gave chase.

Grappler cursed as his bulky backpack jet caught on the edge of a corner and chipped the mirror. "Friggin' fat engines! The tech needs to be shot!" But, he continued running to a shattered corner of the room where a large, turret-mounted laser hummed behind a sheet of rubble. He vaulted over the barrel to the control panel on its back and slid his hands into handle grips on the sides, his clawed left hand awkwardly scraping the curved surface. With his thumb poised above a red trigger button, his eye gleamed dangerously. "Let's dance, Gundam."

A V-fin popped around the corner, and his thumb pressed down.

Zzzt! "Ow!" Shute instinctively cried when the beam seared his V-fin.

_"Shute?! Shute—?!" _Static cut Chief Haro's voice.

_"Communication system has been damaged. Unable to connect to SDG Base," _the self-diagnostic system in Shute's computer stated.

Grappler angled the laser to tail the Gundam as he bolted across the room. Shute stabbed his thick fingers into the adjacent mirror wall and ripped a chunk from it. The laser hummed, the mirror glinted, and red flashed.

Grappler yelped, yanking his smoking self from the laser turret controls. "I'll take care of this!" Shute declared proudly as he jabbed his beam saber into the laser tube. Grappler Gouf growled as another slice chopped the base in two, dropping the laser to the dusty floor. The laser fizzed, and its hum sputtered into a dying crackle. "Surrender, Grappler Gouf!" Shute ordered.

"No chance!" Grappler waved behind his shoulder. "Bring it in!"

Hard feet scuttled. The floor reverberated. Walls cracked, and mirrors smashed, under a large body...or bodies? Shute took a step back. The approaching stampede broke through the wall behind Grappler, raining reflective shards on the two robots. Shute, amid the debris tinking against his face and armor, sized up the newcomers.

Interspersed in a crowd of Zakos were several tarnished white robots. The square screen displays, bulbous joints, and human proportions brought to Shute's mind his many books on the history of robotics. _Pre-GM service robots, _he identified. _The standard ones before Kao Lyn started making mobile citizens. _"You took control of these robots?"

"With a little bit of quick reprogramming, yeah." Grappler pat one rusty head. "It was a little tougher without Control Horns to go around, but we bypassed their security, installed the Dark Axis as the users, gave them new offensive programs, and deleted auto-shutdown procedures."

"So, they won't stop?"

"Once I give the order, they won't stop until you break them down to the last bolt." Grappler grinned. "Or until they break _you_ down to the last bolt."

Shute, growing, spread his feet and set his sword arm forward.

"Zako soldiers! Bit Bots FX-9900! Destroy Captain Gundam!"

The Zakos fired, and the service bots swarmed. A few Bit Bots creaked slowly on rusted legs, but most charged at a run, with hands raised to grapple their foe. Shute ducked behind his holey shield against the machine gun bullets, and when the Bit Bots entered range, he swept his body around to cut and shield-bash the drones.

The blue, spiked frame of Grappler Gouf slipped into the darkness. "Wait!" Shute shouted. His audio sensors could pinpoint, amidst the ruckus of screeching joints and clacking metal, the rapidly retreating footsteps of his opponent. With another swipe of the beam saber, he charged for the dark ahead. But his feet snagged, and he looked down to see a legless Bit Bot clutching him. "Get off me!" he yelled, kicking the robot. Its square screen cracked, but still it groped after his blocky feet, trailing him by sound.

Shute detected pressure on his shoulder and turned his head to see two Bit Bots clutching him. He yanked, but they held firm. On his other side, another Bit Bot rushed up and pried at the seams of his shoulder armor. "Let go!" Shute protested, thrashing to shake them off. But, he couldn't buck them.

More Bit Bots closed in, some raising metal fists to beat him, and others grabbing at his helmet. The pulling and pounding shook Shute's courage. He couldn't see past the horde. His shoulder armor was starting to bend like a soda tab. His helmet was denting. The joint of his elbow strained. If he didn't do something, soon, then he would lose—no, more than lose, because he would be destroyed, and if he were destroyed... _Captain! _Shute internally screamed, jolting his body to spun the wrist of his sword hand, cutting the Bit Bots holding him on that side. "Out of the way!" He wrenched his other arm free with a punch. "I'm—" He leveled his wrist-mounted missile cannons. "—going to—" He fired, blasting the surrounding Bit Bots into smoldering spare parts. "—save my—" Another round flushed the Bit Bots between him and the line of Zakos. "—friend!" The Zakos blew away.

A Bit Bot missing a head flailed and grasped Shute's leg, but Shute shook it off, stomped the hand flat, and dashed forward, slashing and crushing twitching and groping broken Bit Bot pieces along the way.

"Z-Zako...!" The green, round 'bots started shaking.

"Get out of the way!" Shute shouted, brandishing his sword. The purple beam hummed hungrily.

"ZAKOOOO!" "Zakozakozako!" "No, zakoooooo!" The Zakos started scrambling into the recesses of the maze.

"Wait, zako! Don't run, cowards!" one hollered after his fleeing comrades. The loud clunk of a heavy footstep jolted the Zako, and he slowly turned his head to see the Gundam standing inches away, his neutral stare boring into the Zako's purple eye. He quaked.

Shute swiped, but the Zako ducked and cowered before the blade could make contact. Then, to the Zako's surprise, Shute ran past, leaving the pitiful green 'bot behind: he had bigger fish to catch.

...

"I still can't reach him!" Kao Lyn exclaimed, spinning in distress. "Not good, not good, not good at all!"

"We were hoping to find the hostages quickly, but the element of surprise has been lost," Chief Haro said. "It's time to send reinforcements. Send a squad of GMs, and the Re-Equip Ring. He may need some spare parts."

"Yes, sir," Juli said.

"Wait! Before you do that—" Chief Haro stood. "I'll go, too."

"...Yes, sir."

...

In the drizzle, Shute spotted a blue shape ducking around a corner. "Grappler Gouf!" He bolted after him.

Once he rounded the bend, Shute saw clearly the Dark Axis robot jetting low to the ground. "Hold it!"

Grappler glanced back, and his eye widened. "Time for Plan B!" He weaved into a narrow passage. Shute veered into the same alley. His proximity sensor triggered: Shute looked up just as Bit Bots leapt down.

"There's more of them?!" Shute side-stepped one so that it fell on its screen face and whirled out of grabbing range of another. They continued to pour in like lemmings. After a few seconds of the game, Shute planted himself, held his saber in front of him, and activated his wheels. He blazed through, leading with a whirlwind of deadly flashes.

The lane widened, and the Bit Bots became sparser. The Ferris wheel loomed ahead, appearing like the outline of a spiny, thick-haired tree. Shute heard the hum of helicopters, but he left his eyes on the opponent before him. Grappler looped behind the Ferris wheel's shadow, and Shute slowed, levitating on the blue jet exhaust of his attachments. A whine and a line of smoke trailed a rocket launching his way. "Woah!" His jets angled, and Shute ducked below the projectile. An empty carnival game stand exploded behind him.

Shute rose to pass over the Ferris wheel for a better line of sight. And, that's when he spotted a blue ring in the air. A burst of lightning revealed the thick, circular, glow-lined structure of the Re-Equip Ring.

A glowing purple eye caught his view. Shute fired his Vulcan cannons to send Grappler cursing and dodging under the shadows of a lower car, and during the distraction, he shot for the Ring.

This time, Shute aimed well for the center, and the auto-docking sequence easily pulled him in. The top of his head lifted, as if his hair had been painlessly removed, and a new helmet clicked into place. _"Shute! Shute! Can you hear me?" _Kao Lyn's voice came over the comm system.

"Yes, sir, Chief Kao Lyn!" Shute replied. The grip of a new beam rifle slipped into his right hand, and he grasped it like a lifeline.

_"Oh, good, good! Thank goodness! You've gotten some scratches, though, haven't you? Don't worry: the Re-Equip Ring will fix what it can and restock your weapons. Reinforcements are on their way. So, just hold out until—"_

An explosion kissed Shute's face and rocked the giant ring. Shute cried out as he jostled. The Ring sank, the clasps released, and the electromagnetic pulses keeping him aloft crackled and died. Shute clunked to the bottom of the ring and wobbled with its tilt. The Re-Equip Ring was angling beyond the park borders. "Serves ya' right!" Grappler taunted from the top car of the Ferris wheel, bearing a rocket launcher. Underneath the car, Zakos aerially fled from the scene. Shute rocketed off the edge of the Ring.

_"Are you okay, Shute?!" _ Kao Lyn shouted.

"Yeah, I'm okay. But, the Re-Equip Ring—"

_"Don't worry about the Ring, Shute! It'll go far away from the park, so it won't crush Captain or the other hostages. Focus on pounding the Dark Axis!"_

"Got it!"

...

Rumbling clouds thickened, their angry tears fell heavier, and they snapped a thunderous cry overhead. Lightning illuminated the brown-streaked flank of the photo booth shop's exterior. Near the ground, a large grate rattled and banged, then finally crashed outward. A brown fluffy tuft of hair emerged, followed by wary green eyes. Captain searched the soaking night for signs of the enemy. Within seconds, his protruding bangs dampened and stuck to his forehead. But, no sound of robots could be heard.

Captain crawled out into the rain, collecting a thin layer of mud from the wet dust on the cracked pavement. Shivering, he pulled his hood over his head and pulled the drawstrings taut so it bunched around his face. A low metal fence separated the side of the small building from its entrance: it had once corralled park-goers exiting the ride to the photo booth so that they would not wander into the employee-only space in the back. Captain ran to it, grabbed the slippery railing, and jumped. His muddy shoes slipped, and he hit the rail, knocking his abdomen, and collapsed on the other side. "Ow..." he moaned, clutching his stomach.

A purple streak pierced the sky. Captain looked up at the familiar gleam and whine. Across the park, at the gear-shaped Ferris wheel, lights flared, and bangs echoed. "Shute," Captain murmured. Grasping the fence, he stood, gazing at the deadly struggle of his best friend. His jaw clenched. _I'm going to help you, Shute. Hold on. _

He turned, ran to the shop's door-less entrance, and stepped inside on the fallen plank of metal. "Margaret! Titan!" He weaved behind the counter and jiggled the doorknob.

_"Shute! You made it!" _Margaret called from inside.

"Hold on. I'm going to open the door." Another jiggle proved still ineffective. Captain searched for a key or other tool, and, in the cupboard space underneath the counter, he found a discarded crowbar. He grabbed the bar and slammed it against the doorknob. Sparks flew, and the round surface dented. Captain, encouraged by this result, continued his assault until the knob curled, bent, and finally snapped. The door swung inward.

Margaret, squealing in delight, gave Captain a leaping hug. "You did it!"

"W-woah!" Captain stumbled under her weight but quickly planted his feet.

The girl released him. "Sorry," she said, though still smiling. "I was just afraid we wouldn't make it out of here."

Captain smiled back. "We'll be fine." He peered behind her. "How's Titan?"

She sobered. "He's still awake, but he's not doing well."

He frowned grimly. "Let's get him out of here."

The two children found a passably whole cart in the storefront section: a simple single-shelf rectangular design, its base had warped so that no more than three of its four wheels could touch the ground at the same time, but all of them could roll, and the base had not split.

The difficult part was getting Titan onto it. Both Captain and Margaret had to push and pull from either side while the Knight Gundam mustered his last strength to crawl—or, rather, fall—on the cart. He thudded heavily. "How's your gem, Titan?" Margaret asked, touching his armored shoulder reassuringly as he panted from the effort.

"Painful. But holding."

"The glue must be working," Captain said. He opened the door. "Alright. Let's go. We'll get Titan outside of the park." _And then I can help Shute. _

With a couple of rough bumps and pauses to make in-transit adjustments to Titan's position, they wheeled the injured robot around the counter and out the door. "That door makes a nice ramp," Margaret commented with a nervous giggle as they paused under the awning.

"Yes, it does," Captain agreed. He peered past the curtain of rain. In the night, he could still see flashes of lightning and beams.

"Where should we go? Are there any side-exits?" Margaret asked.

"Theme parks have discreet entrances for staff members," Captain said. "I think that using those will reduce the chances that the enemy will find us."

"Those are in the staff-only areas?"

"I would think so."

They steered Titan towards the fences bordering the ride's exit ramp. With a few pushes, the rusty gates toppled, and they rolled in. The passage was narrower than the park-goers' ramps, and some hidden sections—under overpasses or behind high walls—were unpaved. The dirt had moistened to mud under the drizzle, and Captain and Margaret strained to wheel Titan's heavy frame through.

"One, two, three, push!" Captain cued, and they dug their soggy shoes into the mud and shoved. The wheels squelched. The cart groaned. But, in the face of the hill, they gained only a few inches. Screaming muscles and slipping fingers compelled the humans to ease the cart down, again.

"We're almost out," Margaret panted as her eyes searched the muddy pass. Her ponytail stuck to her back like a wet rag. "There has to be another way." But, no path branched from their way within sight. The last intersection had been passed seven minutes ago. Only the mud and low hill lay between them and the moonlit lopsided gate that led to an overgrown parking lot.

"Our stamina is depleting," Captain observed. His hair tuft had flattened. "Our best chance is to double back and choose another route."

"Leave me," Titan coughed.

"I will not abandon a comrade," Captain said. He squeezed between the fence and the cart to reach the other side, and Margaret followed suit.

"Are you okay, Titan?" Margaret asked as she put her hand to the cart handle.

Titan hacked, expelling grimy water through his vents.

Margaret guiltily clarified, "I mean, not 'okay,' but... you know..."

Titan nodded. "Alive," he groaned.

"Okay, let's go." Captain started pushing. Margaret took her place.

A blast sounded. "Where was that?" Margaret asked.

"About a kilometer to the west," Captain said. "We need to hurry before they catch us."

They resumed their harsh trek until they found a split in the path. "We came from straight ahead, so we should go left." Margaret jerked her head towards the branch leading down into a tunnel that dipped below trolley tracks.

"That sounds like a reasonable assumption," Captain said.

Jets pealed in the skies. Over the rooftops, Captain's Gundam body pursued Grappler Gouf, firing the beam rifle. Grappler dipped, leading Shute after him, and when the two drew close to the roofs, machine gun fire sprayed at Shute. Captain gasped at the sight of his friend flinching under the pelting bullets.

"Into position, zako!"

Captain dropped his gaze to their narrow corridor. The din of rain rapping on metal alerted him to the close proximity of enemy agents. He propelled Titan in the direction of the tunnel. "Hide! Quick!" he hissed to Margaret, who was pushing before he even said a word.

They rolled into the shade of the tunnel. "Stay quiet," Captain instructed. Margaret nodded and pressed her belly to the ground. Captain pulled the Glue Shooter from his pocket and crawled just below the lip of visibility.

"Zako"s preceded the scuttling green robots. A dozen or so pairs of robotic feet ran into view, some with thinner and simpler design. _Those are... outdated models? _Captain noted the rust, scratches, dents, and tears in the unknown robots. _They are most likely taken from the park, but no Control Horns are present. The Dark Axis must have reprogrammed them manually. _

The leg of one of the old models snapped, and it fell and slid to the edge of the tunnel, where it lay unmoving while electricity bled from numerous abrasions and its face screen died. Captain held his breath. But, the Dark Axis troupe paid no mind to the lost 'bot.

The enemies continued to run past, except for a couple of Zakos and a few of the rust buckets. "We'll go this way, zako!" One pointed towards the tunnel.

Captain swallowed and threw a fearful glance over his shoulder. In the reflecting moonlight, Margaret's blue, inquiring and anxious eyes gleamed in the shadows. Titan's eyescreen glow was absent. Captain turned and aimed.

"Zakozakozakozako..." The Zakos chanted as they rushed to the tunnel.

Green goo globbed on the visor of one, blocking its eye. "Zako!" The others glared into the tunnel. "It's the hostages, zako!" "How did they escape, zako?" "Get them, zako!"

Captain barraged them with glue shots as they and several Bit Bots charged. The feet of the first wave stuck to the ground, and those behind found themselves bumping into their stopped comrades. Then, with a few well-aimed shots, they stuck to their backs. "Zakoooooo!" "Help us, zako!"

Captain jumped up. "It's time to go!"

"Right!" Margaret took the head of the cart. Titan still made no sound. The children pushed as fast as their burning legs allowed them, down into the darkness. They traveled along a level stretch for some minutes, and then up a slope.

They emerged next to a soaring and smooth—aside from rust—launch coaster. The sounds of clangs and beam whines drew their attention to the skies, where Shute and Grappler Gouf still clashed. Gouf danced around Shute's beams, but the steady fire prevented him from nearing to use his sword or claws.

Margaret searched the dark night for a sign of a fence. "Shute, I think we lost the parking lot."

Grappler feinted a dash for the side, dipped below the shot, curved up, and slashed Shute with his sword. A chunk of torso armor sprinkled in pieces. Captain grit his teeth. _He's using my blind spot! _

"There's another path leading left. We should try to get to the fence that way." Margaret pointed.

Captain shook his head. "No, this has gone on long enough. My friend is losing, and I need to help him. We can't escape until Grappler Gouf is defeated."

Margaret shot him an incredulous, wide-eyed look. "How can you help?"

"I can boost his power." Captain met her with twin green flames of determination. "We'll hide you and Titan, and I'll go help. Once my friend hears my voice, it'll be over."

Margaret pushed as he started to guide the cart towards the shadow of a bumper car attraction. "I don't get it! If you—"

"Believe me, it will be worse if he's destroyed."

Margaret grimaced at the muddy ground, but she said nothing more.

They reached _Robo Turbo _and shoved the cart into the enclosed lot of parked, dust-laden curvy bumper cars. "Stay here until I come get you," Captain said. "Or unless the enemy finds you. If that happens, then you must leave Titan and flee." He bolted for the open downpour.

"Be careful!"

"I'll be safe!"

He rushed to the gates of the launch coaster and up the stairs to the loading deck. Rain beat on the roof overhead, and Captain's squeaking steps rattled the old steel floor. A parked roller coaster train perpetually waited on its tracks at the load platform. From the edge of the overhang, a walkway led along the tracks, extending up to the coaster's peak. "Hold on, Shute. I'm coming," he whispered to himself as his foot hit the first steps.

Meanwhile, Shute reeled under a rear assault from Grappler's claws. His left shoulder sparked, the arm caught at shoulder-height, and his exposed back, stripped to the white exoskeleton by numerous slashes, was starting to crack. Long and tirelessly had Grappler worked, jabbing and ramming the Gundam to disarm him: his shield was sinking in the mud below. Shute fired another pot-shot at the villain as Gouf's jets roared his way, but a quick turn evaded the beam. He pelted bullets from his Vulcan cannon to intercept, but Gouf dove, wove, and cut the edge of his helmet. "Ack!" The next cannon shots banged ineffectively against twisted slivers of metal capping the barrels. Another claw swipe knocked the beam rifle from Shute's hand.

Shute gaped, but the rifle had already fallen out of reach. Growling, he whipped out the beam saber and waited. Grappler, laughing, swung by from the front. "I've got you, now!"

A stab landed the saber in his shoulder. "Agh!" Gouf yanked back, and the saber came out of Shute's hand. The light blue squad leader fingered the hilt of the saber embedded in his shoulder. "Now, you've done it...!" With the click of a button on the hilt, the extra friction inside his joint disappeared, and he painlessly extracted the bladeless saber, though the hole and sparking circuitry remained.

Left without rifles, ammo, swords, or rockets, Shute pulled back his working arm and closed his hand into a fist.

Captain slipped near the top of the stairs and fell on his chin, but he grabbed the sides of the step before he could fall. His teeth ached, and he could taste a metallic-flavored liquid in his mouth. "Shute!" He pulled himself to his feet, careful to keep a handhold on the steps. Determinedly, he took the last few slow steps to the top. "Shute!" he called, standing to his full height. He cupped his hands and belted out, "Shuuuuuute! Focus!"

Shute and Grappler jerked their eyes to the boy on top of the roller coaster. "Captain?!" Shute gasped.

"How did he get out?!" Grappler exclaimed.

"You can win! Keep fighting! Focus!" Captain continued to shout. "Hit the bad shoulder!"

Hope flooded Shute's Soul Drive, sending it into a spin. Heat flushed through his frame like adrenaline, rushing from his chest to his extremities, and his fist took on a golden tint.

"Quiet, organic!" Grappler flew at the boy, claws poised.

Captain stepped back and tripped down a step. "Ah!"

"Captain!" Shute's jetpack flared as he zipped to save his friend.

Captain's fingers grabbed a step. _I can't die, or Shute will...! _The shadow of a one-eyed robot fell over him.

"Captaaaaain!" Shute's eyes burned.

Grappler raised his claws. Captain flinched.

A glowing fist slammed into the side of Grappler's head, and he careened into the roller coaster track. The crash rocked the whole structure, including the service walkway. Captain's wet fingers glided off the steps, and he plunged.

Horror snuffed the flames in Shute's eyes. He dove down after his friend. "Captain!"

"Shute!" Margaret screeched.

Shute reached for Captain's hand, but his right thruster sparked, and his path wobbled.

Captain blinked, and numbers appeared in his vision. He was jetting towards Shute with hand extended. _Shute! _He skillfully steered his dying thrusters to accelerate and scoop the boy in his arms. Shute squeaked from the sudden impact of metal against his lungs, but when the boy coughed and moaned as they leveled out, Captain knew that he could rest easy.

"Captain?" Shute groaned. He gripped the Gundam's collar with human fingers.

"You're safe, now, Shute," Captain said. They arched back over the roller coaster.

"Grappler—"

"—is incapacitated from your attack."

Shute peered over Captain's shoulder to see Grappler Gouf meshed with one of the thick latticed support beams. "Ohhh, my achin' computer..." Grappler whined. The hill of the track above him swayed and cracked. "Huh?" The purple eye darted up in time to see the segment collapse. "Oh, no..." The coaster part smashed the supports and crumbled, dragging a screaming Grappler down with it.

"We need to regroup with Margaret," Captain said, drawing his friend's attention. "She is watching Titan."

Shute nodded. "Okay."

Captain descended, maneuvering their wobbly trajectory toward the bumper cars. "I'm sorry that I damaged your body so much," Shute apologized.

"Considering the circumstances, I think you took very good care of it." They landed in the squishy mud. "These are relatively minor damages."

Shute crawled out of the Gundam's arms. "Relative to what?"

Margaret bolted into the open before Captain could answer. "Shute, are you okay?!"

Shute looked back at Captain, then turned shifty eyes on the girl. "Y-Yeah. I'm... fine..."

The tall girl flung her arms around Shute. "Oh, my gosh! You scared the heck out of me!"

Shute blushed into her chest. Captain maintained stillness and stoicism.

After just a moment, Margaret pulled away. "Titan still isn't responding. We have to get him fixed!"

Captain immediately walked around her and Shute. "I will scan him to determine the severity of his injuries."

Margaret's gaze curiously followed the robot. The straight posture and smooth, deliberate steps tickled some unconscious, unplaceable memory. Then, she and Shute looked up at the patter of Gunperrys and blinked into spotlights. The sounds of screaming Zakos and scuttling feet echoed. One Gunperry landed adjacent to them. "Who are they?" Margaret asked.

Shute scratched his head. "Uh, they're, um... the police..." The surreal feel of his own soaking hair engulfed his thoughts, and his sudden, unknown role caused him to hesitate.

SDG staff and GMs poured into the landscape. Within minutes, Grappler's muffled, scratchy voice could be heard howling, _"Stay away from me!"_ The steel rubble at the base of the roller coaster smashed open, and Grappler scrambled out. GMs brought their shields to bear as Grappler took flight with a yellow, oblong device in his hand. "Zakorello Gate, open!" The golden gate spread in the sky, and he and many spiraling and flailing Zakos ascended. Within moments, the Zakorello Gate had swallowed them and vanished.

"There they go, again," Shute sighed.

Several human and robot SDG staff neared them. Captain waved the SDG over to Titan's unmoving frame. "We have a Gundam down! He needs repairs!" Margaret and Shute anxiously watched as the GMs circled and began to pull Titan's cart.

A giant green ball on human shoulders ran to them. "Shute?!" Chief Haro began.

"Chief!" Shute hailed, then peered uncertainly at Margaret.

Chief Haro's shoulders slackened. "Are you and Captain alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Chief Haro turned his beady mask eyes to the girl. "And you are Margaret?"

She blinked. "Uh, yes, sir."

"Thank you for your help, today," Chief Haro said. "This all must be very confusing to you. Please wait while we secure the area, and then we will explain everything to you."

Margaret nodded.

Squelching and faint sparking noises preceded Captain's approach. Shute turned with a grin. "Captain."

Captain flashed smiling eyes at him and then saluted for Chief Haro. "Reporting in, sir. The mission was a success."

Chief Haro saluted in return. "Glad to hear that, Captain." And, lowering his hand, he added, "I saw everything. You did well."

"Thank you, sir."

"You performed bravely in the face of the most dangerous situation yet, and you saved several lives. I am very proud of you."

Although he used none of his preprogrammed emotional expressions, Captain's eyes seemed to glimmer. "...Thank you, sir."

"What about Zero, Bakunetsumaru, and everyone else?" Shute asked. "Are they okay?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, Chief Kao Lyn would have been here to meet you, but he is busy with their repairs. They are all in stable condition."

Shute breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great!" He turned to his companions to share his delight, but he found Margaret busy looking over Captain.

A cheek-squeezing grin spread over her face. "My gosh, it's you, isn't it?"

Chief Haro's ears flapped. Shute gawked. Captain stepped back, giving visible form to his shock for the first time since activation. "Well, I—"

"You're the rifle robot!" Margaret squealed in his face. "I saw you on TV that one time, and I've been waiting to see you, ever since!" Three pairs of joints and shoulders relaxed. Then, Margaret wheeled to throw a pout at Shute. "Shute, you didn't tell me that you were friends with him!"

Shute recoiled, stealing glances at Captain. "Er..."

"He told you that he knew me, did he not?" Captain said.

"Well, he did, but knowing someone and being their friend is different!"

"I have some business to take care of, so I'll leave you three to it," Chief Haro said. He about-faced. "Just be sure to use... discretion."

"Yes, sir!" both his soldiers affirmed, and Chief Haro strode off.

"What's he doing?" Margaret asked.

"Overseeing," Captain answered.

Crashing metal rang. "Rogue robots at sector 5-Q326!" they heard someone yell.

"Sounds like he has a lot to... oversee..."

"Yes. I'm sure his most pressing concern is retrieving the man from on top of the Ferris wheel," Captain said.

Shute raised an eyebrow. "What man on the Ferris wheel?"

"I saw a man on the Ferris wheel just a few minutes ago while I was tending to Titan." Captain faced across the park and pointed. "From here, even the human eye can..." He paused.

"There's no one there, Captain," Shute said.

Captain lowered his arm. "Strange. I even zoomed in my vision in order to confirm the sighting. He was so high that no one could have missed him."

"Maybe he was a hoodlum?" Margaret posed. "Was he wearing a hood?"

"No. He was wearing long sleeves and pants, and he was carrying what looked to be a toolbox."

Shute paled. "You don't think that...?"

"The ghost?" Margaret giggled. "I thought you said that it was a vandal."

"When did I say that?"

"Well, you said it was _most likely_ a vandal."

Captain dug through his memory banks while Shute and Margaret debated. The image of a man had definitely been on the topmost pod of the Ferris wheel. He had definitely looked back at Captain. But, no heat signature had been emitted. "Perhaps my sensors have glitched..."

...

Shute stood beside Captain, waving down at Margaret as their Gunperry lifted. The Gunperry steered, and Captain held an arm out to steady Shute before the boy even wobbled. "Be careful, Shute," he said. "Your shoes are slippery."

Shute gave a smile as he raised an eyebrow. "You're worrying too much, Captain."

"I apologize if my concern is excessive, but, even if it is illogical, my anxiety for your safety is heightened after this incident."

"I'll be fine. I promise." Shute flexed his arms. "It feels good to be back in my own skin, again."

"I am also glad to have my frame," Captain said, displaying his happy emote.

Shute glanced back over the edge of the Gunperry door, his smile shrinking. "Hey, Captain?" he said quietly.

"Yes, Shute?"

"What about Margaret?"

Captain traced his gaze to a spot of a dirty-blond head fading from view. "She is safe. She will be debriefed and returned home, soon."

"Yeah, but... you were friends, or..." Shute frowned sadly at his best friend.

"I perhaps didn't use proper discretion. Her personality quite attracted me," Captain stated. "But, I knew we were going to part ways."

"Captain..."

The Gundam looked at him. "I am a robot, Shute. Even when my body was changed, I was still a robot. Nothing could alter who and what I am. And, I am satisfied with that."

Shute glumly gazed at his feet.

...

Aleda hovered by her knight as he rested in Kao Lyn's lab. "I am fine, I assure you," a wire-studded Zero insisted as the scientist closely examined the readings on his screen.

"I'm detecting no energy leaks," Kao Lyn said, "but your output is extremely low. Although you're in no danger, you are nowhere near 'fine'!"

"I only need rest to regain my energy, and this place is ill-suited for me," Zero complained, sitting upright in spite of extensive aches. Aleda held his shoulder to steady his shaking frame.

"I'm also healed enough to go rest," Baku called from the other table. "I'm in even better shape than Zero!"

"I'm sorry, Zero," Aleda said. "I must not have done a good job when I healed you."

Zero fiercely shook his head. "It is because I used magic, not because of any fault in your spells. Healing magic accelerates our bodies' healing, but it does not replenish our life force. I used magic, even when my body's trauma had drained my life so low, and so I suffer from magic fatigue."

The Gundamess, hearing this harrowing account, gripped his arm to quell her uneasiness. Warmth spread to Zero from her touch, quick as a sponge soaking water, and much of it concentrated in his face. Sniggers chimed in the Knight Gundam's audios, and Zero swore to himself that, once he had recharged enough magical energy, he would cast enough roses to turn a certain samurai into a rosebush. The glare he flashed communicated as much, but Baku continued to snicker.

"Well, if it's only fatigue, then I suppose you can go rest," Kao Lyn said. "But," he added, "you should have a buddy walk you to your room, because your energy is so low..." Looking to Zero's close companion, he said, "Aleda, could you help him for me?"

"Y-Yes, sir," she stammered with a blush.

"I'll lend a hand, too," Baku volunteered.

"Nuh-uh! No can do!" Kao Lyn waved his arms in protest. "You're too tired! Go sleep!"

So, Baku sulkily shuffled off by himself, and Aleda accompanied Zero—or, rather, propped him up as he hobbled—to his room.

"I am dreadfully sorry, milady," Zero said after a painstakingly slow and wobbly step threw them both off-kilter.

Aleda pushed against his weight. "It's okay," she grunted with a strained smile.

"I ought to walk myself. This is ungentlemanly, and my balance may be better if I am not leaning on you."

"No, it's okay!" Aleda protested, clinging to him before he could pull away. "You're going to fall if I let go!"

Zero blushed. "I-I think I can walk, milady."

She stubbornly shook her head.

"B-But, I—"

Her hold persisted.

The Winged Knight sighed. "I have no choice in the matter, do I?"

Emboldened, Aleda firmed her grip and again shook her head. Hidden within her silence, her GunSoul pounded.

"Very well. I shall accept your gracious aid, milady," Zero relented.

Aleda's cheeks turned rosy. Nodding, she tugged forward to usher him along. And so, they continued, the Lady Gundamess half-carrying her battle-worn knight. When they at last entered Zero's room, Aleda, in spite of the Winged Knight's protests, held him the whole way to his bed, where he could acceptably collapse.

Zero looked up at the Gundamess as he eased onto his pillow. "Thank you, milady."

"You're welcome... Um, Zero?" Her shoulders hunched, raised to dam her guilt, and her eyes shifted. "I... wanted to say..."

"Aleda." Zero's hand slipped under hers and curled closed around it. Surprise flushed the remorse from her eyes. "Please, forgive me for my harsh words, today," Zero said. "When I said you could not help fight against the Dark Axis..." He averted his eyes. "...it was a lie that I said out of fear."

"Fear?"

"Fear that an innocent lady like you would come to harm in this war."

Aleda turned over this warming thought for a moment, then squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Zero. You were protecting me, again."

The knight gave a bitter smile. "So much so that I was stifling you."

She shook her head. "I did that, myself."

"What do you mean, milady?"

She bit her lip. "I couldn't let go of something." Then, she asked, "Zero? What was that spell I used? The one that healed you?"

"I know not. It seems to have combined your healing spell with your fire magic," he said, his eyes twinkling with admiration. "Whatever spell you discovered, you are learning to control fire even better than before. The flames responded to your will so well that they not only left me unscathed, but they healed me."

Remembrance of the terror and despair of that moment misted her eyes, but she forced a grin, determined to push through their encounter. "I guess I'm getting better."

"Yes, milady, you are. I would say that I am proud of you, but I never taught you such skill." With affection pouring through his soft voice, he added, "And your deep concern, which caused such a miracle, warms me even more than your gentle flames."

Her lip quivered, sinking under the weight of his kindness. "Zero, I thought I'd killed you."

Zero's smile fell, and his gaze pooled with worry. "Little Wing..." Before he knew it, his hand, though trembling from weariness, was brushing leaks from her eyescreens. "Aleda, you couldn't harm a soul."

"I... I..." she stammered.

Zero squeezed her hand and waited. Aleda's lips pressed tight. When she remained silent, he finally said, "I don't know what happened to cause you to fear yourself so, milady, but, when I was young, a careless step of mine crushed my Papa's foot."

Aleda gaped, freezing her trickle of tears. "What… what did they say?" she said, at last.

"They forgave me, but I had to replace Papa on the farm," Zero said. He rubbed her fingers with his thumb. "I took much longer to forgive myself than they. You are not alone in making grave mistakes, milady."

Aleda's face wrinkled, and, at last, she spilled, "I burned Abby's face by accident, and she never forgave me."

The knight's eyes watered. "Aleda."

A knock at the door jolted them. Their fingers slid apart. Zero pulled himself up and propped his back against the wall, and Aleda rubbed her tears away. "Who is it?" Zero called.

"_Chief Haro." _

With a glance at Aleda, who pushed a smile onto her face, Zero said, "Please enter!"

The door slid open, and Chief Haro stepped in. Aleda shifted closer to the head of Zero's bed as the chief walked to the foot. "Aleda. Zero. I have come to report that Captain, Shute, and Titan have returned to White Base."

"Are they alright?" Zero immediately asked. Aleda lifted her head.

"Titan has some serious injuries, but he is conscious, and with healing magic he should be fine. Captain and Shute synchronized in the middle of the battle, and they have reverted to their original forms."

Aleda's wings twitched. "They broke the spell?"

Chief Haro nodded. "Yes. There's no need to worry about them, anymore."

After a blank-faced moment to digest, she looked to Zero, who nodded reassuringly. In response, she smiled, then wavered between a smile and a gape, unable to fully express the relief and surprise rising in her. Her straightening posture gave her the air of a fledgling unfurling her wings, and her eyes became emerald Christmas lights. Zero captured every second, engraving forever in his GunSoul the image of his lady's radiance.

"Aleda, do you have enough magic left to cast a healing spell on Titan?" Haro inquired.

She beamed. "Yeah."

"Then, report to Kao Lyn's lab in three minutes."

"Yes, sir!"

The chief departed, leaving the two Lacroans alone, again.

Aleda still grinned audio-to-audio. Zero gave a happy chuckle. "It looks as if you have nothing left to worry about, Little Wing," he said. Then, he blinked. "—Er, Lady Aleda." He plastered his face with a metal hand in dismay. "I'm dreadfully sorry for addressing you in such a way, milady. It slipped off my tongue."

A giggle escaped the Gundamess. "It's okay," she said, cocking her head cutely. "You can call me that, if you want."

He peered at her. "I may?"

She bobbed her head. "Mhm~"

His GunSoul swelled. "Thank you."

Aleda blushed. "You're welcome. I'll… see you, later."

"Yes, my Little Wing."

The girl, seized by happiness, suddenly pounced and squeezed her arms tight around Zero, who brightened like a nighttime aircraft beacon. The Knight Gundam, gingerly at first, then firmly, rested a hand above the base of her wings. Too soon, Aleda pulled away. "I-I have to go! U-Uhm, 'bye!" she stammered.

Zero softly returned, "Until tomorrow, Lady Aleda."

Aleda darted out of the room, fleeing her pounding heart.

...

Aleda held her hands over Titan's GunSoul, the glow of her magic sealing the cracks and pushing the glue to the surface. Her smile and hum hinted at happy thoughts quite detached from her surroundings.

Kao Lyn and the others present in the lab—including battered Captain and towel-draped Shute—listened to her unconscious tune, until the quirk at the corner of Kao Lyn's mustache refused to restrain him any longer. "You seem very happy."

Aleda's hum ceased, and she blinked. "Uh...?"

"You were humming," Shute explained with a grin. He stretched in the plain, sagging blue uniform the SDG had provided to warm his body.

The Lady Gundamess blushed. "I did that out loud?"

"Yeah."

"You weren't very happy before I sent you with Zero. Did something happen?" Kao Lyn asked with a gleam in his shielded eyes. Titan's hazel eyes narrowed.

The blush deepened. "N-No, n-nothing really happened." Her hands shifted over Titan's dented helmet, and the depression in the metal began to fill. "I'm just happy everyone's alright," she said, beaming at Shute and Captain.

"I hear that you nearly were not alright," Titan said. Shute cringed, and Kao Lyn stiffened. The cheer in Aleda's eyes faded. "Why did you enter such a dangerous fight?"

"I was the only one who could help my friends. I couldn't let them die," she said, a hint of stubbornness entering her tone.

"Do you know how to fight?"

"Zero's been teaching me."

Titan's slowly sealing joints creaked.

"I asked him to. I'm fighting the Dark Axis for those who protected me. That way, they won't have died for nothing."

Titan pressed his mouth in an irritable line. "I see."

"We're glad she's back," Shute interjected.

"Thank you." Rosy joy snuck into Aleda's face, again. "I'm going to stay, this time." Her eyes softened with visions of a certain knight. _I'll stay with him, like I promised. _

Agitation brewed behind Titan's eyes.

...

In a double-moonlit sky, a winged, golden, caped shape flanked by a red and a blue robot soared above a lifeless castle pierced by giant spikes. "Ah~ Home, sweet home," Tallgeese rumbled with a grin.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I wasn't kidding when I said it was long! I hope that helped make up for the delay a bit. :)

Grappler didn't have the Control Horns this time, I decided, because it would be a little much to have one for every Bit Bot. Well, no, actually, it's because I had him say offhand in a previous chapter that he wasn't going to use the Control Horn, and so I had to come up with a reason for that XD My explanation is that the Dark Axis hasn't been happy with the results of small-scale use of the Control Horn in Neotopia, so they're trying to conserve them for something better—namely, the big invasion led by Commander Sazabi. Grappler was probably a bit miffed that he couldn't have one of the favorite DA tools, but in the face of a funnel laser cannon, what could he do? Plus, he's smart. He knew he could come up with any needed alternatives.

If anyone was wondering, no, Margaret is not based on me XD If I did do a self-insert, I'd probably pair myself with Zero ;) (who is surprisingly a lot like my boyfriend—chivalrous, sensitive, protective, possessive, prone to fretting, romantic, sappy, and ostentatious. My boyfriend even calls me "lady," and I never asked him to do that XD). And though Aleda shares my shyness, she isn't based on me, either (she's way sweeter, and way more sensitive, and I hate cooking XD).

If you haven't, already, check out _Tricks_ (s/11588320/1/Tricks) to see the Halloween-y stuff that happened while Shute was chasing Grappler Gouf. I was trying to get this chapter done in time for Halloween, but it was too long, so I compromised by cutting out that fluff section and posting it as a Halloween special ahead of the rest of Chapter 20.

A lot of the theme park concepts and names were contributed by _Titanic X_ and fleshed out by me. For the abandoned park setting, I looked up pictures of real abandoned theme parks and a planned robot-themed park, _Robot Land_, for South Korea (I'm jealous!). The Bit Bots were named after the GX-Bits of _After War Gundam X. _

As promised, here are the previews, though keep in mind that after edits these passages may not look quite the same. These are not all from the upcoming Chapter 21, but they are all from the next arc. The first two are from Chapter 21, and the third and fourth give a glimpse of some new key original characters. Not _all_ of the upcoming new OCs, but some of them.

Preview 1:

_"We'll see each other later at Shute's house, as usual." _

_"Actually, later... I wondered if I could speak to you privately?" Zero said. _

_Aleda met him with a curious gaze. _

_"I have... something important to discuss with you." The Knight Gundam squirmed. "So, perhaps, when everyone else leaves for Shute's home..."_

_"Is it something bad?" _

_Zero shook his head. "No, not at all! It's a very good thing—at least," he said, tearing his eyes away momentarily as a blush highlighted his handsome face, "I hope it is good—but there is nothing the matter. It is simply very important." He peered at her, again. "Does this idea please you?" _

_ Aleda nodded. _

_"Then as the others leave, shall we meet at the launch deck?" _

_"S-sure…" _

_ Zero's eyes lit with delight. To Aleda's astonishment, the knight took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it tenderly. "Then, I shall see you soon, Lady Aleda," Zero said with a smile that melted her motherboard. _

Preview 2:

_ Tallgeese's golden wings flared, and his eyescreen glowed. He glowered at Zero at first, but then his gaze jerked to the winged Gundamess far away on the sidelines. "Hm?"_

_ Zero shifted to cover his sight of Aleda. "What are you looking at, Tallgeese? Your fight is with me!" _

_ Tallgeese grinned behind his faceplate. "Ooohhh, I see, now." His claws enlarged to extend several feet, exposing their wicked, sharp contours. "It is not simply for love that you are so possessive of that Gundamess." _

_ Zero blinked, then gathered himself behind his shield. "You shall fall this day!" he tried to threaten. _

_ His opponent cocked his head. "You don't know, do you?" _

_ "Know what?" Zero demanded. _

_ Tallgeese laughed. "Of course! You cannot see it!" _

_ "What are you talking about, Tallgeese?!" _

_ "Should I tell you?" Tallgeese taunted. "It may be more fun to watch you discover it on your own."  
_

_"Quit your games!" _

_"Very well," Tallgeese sneered. "I'll tell you."_

Preview 3:

_ Behind the black-armored Gundam's back, Miku saw a bolt of electricity flying for him, and she bowled him over, sending them crashing on the floor out of the beam's path. The Knight Gundam glanced at the slim, red-armored Arkian with curious surprise as they scrambled to their feet. "Thank you," he said. _

_ In the next second, his eyes were on the battlefield again. He and Miku pressed back-to-back, eyeing their approaching opponents warily. "When I said 'Remain close,' I didn't mean for you to follow me into battle," Ace chided, though keeping his gaze locked onto Mercurius. _

_ Miku smirked without turning from Vayeate as she trained her pistol on the blue robot. "It's not necessary for you to worry, Sir Knight. I'm no helpless damsel. Though, at times, I do appreciate the help."_

Preview 4:

_ Lady Opal, too, now shifted her full attention to the Lady Gundamess by his side. A blink of surprise escaped her regal gaze before she stared intently at Aleda, eye-to-eye, green-to-green, her large white wings quivering while Aleda's gold-edged ones stood stiff. _

_ "This is Lady Aleda," Zero said, taking his beloved's small hand. "And, milady, this is Lady Opal, the wife of Rock, the leader of the Royal Knights and my mentor."_

I hope you've enjoyed the story, so far. Please review and let me know what you think of this chapter, a prior chapter, or the previewed material. :)

If you don't hear from me again before Thanksgiving, then have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-Penelopi


	21. Shot Through the Heart

**Author's Notes**

Hello, again! It's been a long time! I hope you're ready to dive in, because this moves pretty quickly! :)

Summary of the plot so far for those who need a refresher (if you don't, go on and skip ahead):

The Dark Axis attacked a residential area of Neotopia, likely to prepare for a large-scale invasion, and during the fight, Zero came across Aleda, a Gundamess who also seemed to be from Lacroa. She had been found in Neotopia as a little baby Gundam by her adoptive human family when her adoptive father was investigating a dimensional portal. Aleda had since left home to try to find where she really came from. At Zero's behest, the SDG took her in, and Zero began to teach Aleda about Lacroa and magic, growing infatuated with her as time went on. After Fenn was lost in the Magic Square of Darkness, Aleda consoled Zero, bringing them both emotionally closer. It was eventually discovered that Aleda was not the only Lacroan to arrive in Neotopia from that portal: Titan, a Knight Gundam twelve years her senior, had carried her through and then kept watch over her for the last fifteen years. He, Aleda, and several other Lacroan Gundams had been abducted by the Dark Axis for experiments. The captives had revolted, but only Titan and Aleda, the two children, had escaped alive. Chief Haro and Kao Lyn had discovered the two Lacroan Gundams five years after their arrival, studied them, and copied their designs in order to create the mobile citizens of Neotopia, including the Gundams. Titan, haunted by the memory of those who died for him and Aleda, and angered by what he perceived as extortion and abandonment by the SDG, was determined to protect Aleda, even if it meant forcibly removing her from the SDG. However, after some sensible explanations and Aleda's decision to stay with her new friends, Titan relented and planned to become part of the SDG to keep an eye on his charge. A sighting of his old master, though, took him away before he could officially join the force. The SDG lost contact with Titan and sent Zero to find him. While Zero was away, Aleda tried a forbidden spell with Captain and Shute that unintentionally swapped their consciousnesses. Zero returned with nothing but signs that Titan had been captured. Aleda, guilty over her mistake with Captain and Shute, begged Zero to allow her to participate in the reversal spell, but Zero, anxious over her increased involvement in the war against the Dark Axis and fearing the loss of yet another loved one, angrily refused. Aleda, feeling hurt, ran away. Bakunetsumaru, exasperated by the situation, pursued Aleda with Captain (still in Shute's body). The Dark Axis chose that time to stage an attack using Titan as bait. Baku left Captain with Aleda, and he, Zero, and Guneagle went to rescue Titan. They fell in a Dark Axis trap, and Aleda, Gunbike, and Grypapa had to go rescue them. Grappler Gouf kidnapped Captain in order to draw out the last Gundam. Shute (in Captain's body) fought Grappler Gouf, and he and Captain activated the Soul Drive during the battle, which caused them to switch back to their normal bodies. Everyone, including Titan, returned alive to the SDG, and the Dark Axis was again defeated. Aleda and Zero reconciled.

What new developments await? Will Zero get the guts to confess his feelings to Aleda? What is Tallgeese up to? Read on!

Thank you _Titanic X _for beta-reading this chapter. :)

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is a product of Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, and Margaret.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Shot Through the Heart**

Baku yanked a thorn out of his audio receptor. "You're evil," he complained to the Knight Gundam sitting beside him on the lawn of White Base's indoor biome. "You're up for the first time in three days, and this is what you do?"

"You asked for it. Your juvenile behavior required swift and _sharp_ punishment," Zero huffed, lifting his chin snobbishly.

"Stop trying to make it sound like I was the one who did everything! You two were flirting right in front of everyone!"

"We were _not_ flirting!"

"Oh, yeah? Then what were those googly eyes you were making at each other?"

"You are insufferable, Bakunetsumaru!"

"And you're a sap!"

"Well, I have successfully disciplined you for your insolence," Zero snubbed, turning his head to face the sunset glowing through the huge window dome ahead.

"In your dreams, Zero!" Baku retorted. "You've won nothing, yet! I'm not gonna give up until you admit your feelings to her!"

The knight's prideful facade began to deflate into somberness. "Why must you continually pester me with this?"

"It's important! You know you have to."

Zero rubbed a rose petal between his metal fingers. "The right time is for _me_ to decide."

"She's been waiting a long time, already."

Zero sighed.

"It would make her happy~" Baku nudged him with his elbow, though gently to avoid jabbing him with his ridged arm guard.

"But, I could bring pain to her..." Zero pinched the soft petal. "Even..."

"Zero."

The Winged Knight looked into Baku's suddenly stern brown eyes.

"Aleda chose to get involved. She's already made her decision," Baku said. "Now, what's yours?"

...

"Deathscythe. As nebulous as ever." Tallgeese's Griffon wings folded as he, Mercurius, and Vayeate landed on the upper landing of the castle, where a staticky shape had emerged from amongst stone knights to meet them.

"Lord Tallgeese, I am glad to see you alive and well," Deathscythe returned.

A bright flash, and Tallgeese's wings had become a separate, golden beast with an eagle's beak and a lion's claws. Tallgeese held his shield in the air, and the Spirit Griffon, though screeching in discontent, dove down and fused with it, leaving its gold face as a crest on its round surface. "I never knew you cared, Deathscythe," Tallgeese said. "I never saw a single search party while I was missing for weeks."

"Lord Tallgeese, your form when merged with the Griffon gives a very distinct magical aura, which I have long sensed. I was relieved to know that you were alive, and I told my Pawn Leo sentries across Lacroa to watch for your return. Perhaps they were destroyed by the marauders we've been struggling against," Deathscythe calculatedly hummed. "As for myself, your Dark Axis partners requested my assistance while you were... unavailable."

Tallgeese, his purple cape rippling in the air, stalked towards the awning with Mercurius and Vayeate closely tailing him. "Hmph. What assistance did they have need of when they _should_ have been looking for me?"

"They needed to cast an illusion in order to trap another Knight Gundam that escaped to Neotopia," Deathscythe explained as his silent form floated after the entourage. "We captured him successfully, and Commander Sazabi tried to use him as a hostage for the remaining Gundam Force in Neotopia. But, his underlings bungled it... again."

Tallgeese broke his stride to roar with laughter. His guffaws echoed down the covered walkway, branching into the open arches leading indoors. "They'll never learn, will they? I cannot believe that they have lost so often to a handful of Gundams after we so handily overtook an entire nation of them!" Turning to look at Deathscythe, he asked, with red eyes gleaming in amusement, "What foiled them, this time?"

"They successfully trapped three Gundams, including the Winged Knight, below-ground," Deathscythe reported, "but their allies extracted them and recovered the hostage."

"A complete failure, then?"

"They came close, sire. Zero the Winged Knight and Bakunetsumaru the Blazing Samurai, as well as another Gundam from Neotopia, were heavily damaged."

"Oh?"

Deathscythe's beady white eyes narrowed. "You will be pleased to hear that they cannot yet have fully recovered."

"Hmm..." Tallgeese stroked his chin as he hummed. "I could use that to my advantage. I just got back, but I think another visit to Neotopia is in order." He grinned. "Besides, there is another Knight Gundam that I let slip. I can't leave so many loose ends from my conquest, now can I?"

"Certainly not, my lord."

...

"Your left side is open."

"Ack!" Aleda gasped as she felt a slight prick in her side, although more out of surprise than pain, since the blades were dulled with a magic spell.

"Come, Aleda, hit me! Are you afraid?"

"I'm trying…!"

The training room was filled with the clang of swords on swords and swords grating on shields. Aleda thrust, and Zero deftly stopped the tip with the flat of his blade. When Aleda pulled back, Zero swung, and Aleda ducked and thrust again towards his feet, but her rapier passed under his rising heels. "Yes, now you're serious!" the knight laughed.

"That's cheap," Aleda complained, looking up at the floating knight.

"I don't think so," Zero said, grinning mischievously. "You have the same advantage. But, if you insist…" He gracefully landed.

Aleda rushed at him. Clang! Her rapier smacked into his shield. She immediately leapt right to avoid anticipated backlash. Sure enough, a solid thunk sounded from the spot she had been a split-second before. But then, Zero's shield was, ironically enough, shielding most of Aleda from the knight's view, which left him unprepared for her lunge. Zero rapidly twisted to meet the attack.

Somehow, Zero's sudden movement tripped Aleda, and she crashed into him. The world tumbled around the two Gundams. Zero regained his senses to find a slim form on top of him and Aleda's V-fin in his face. Aleda groaned and pushed herself up slightly before reactivating her optical sensors to see her face inches from Zero's. She sputtered, "Ah! S-Sorry!"

"M-milady, I'm sorry!" Zero echoed.

But though their faces flushed, neither moved for a moment, and then they somehow started drawing closer. Zero's grip on his sword and shield grew lax, and Aleda's rapier dropped to the floor. The Knight Gundam's hand reached behind the Lady Gundamess's helmet. Their mouthplates were centimeters from touching...

And the doors slid open. Guneagle took a few steps in before stopping dead. "Woah!"

Their faces jerked apart.

"Am I…uh… interrupting something…?"

"N-no! It was…nothing! An accident!" Zero protested. Aleda couldn't find her voice, and the red on her face deepened as she pulled herself off Zero.

"Uh…sure…" Guneagle said, glancing sideways.

"We were sparring, and we tripped!" Zero defended as he gathered his feet. Aleda huddled silently on the floor, eyescreens down and helm red. "You came in at the wrong moment!" The knight continued.

"I can see that," Guneagle said smugly, his voice giving the hint of a smirk that his face couldn't express.

Zero shook his head and stood, sheathing his sword and attaching his shield to his arm. Then, he offered a hand to the Gundamess frozen on the floor. "Milady," he said softly. Aleda picked up her rapier and accepted his hand. Zero gently pulled her to her feet, as Guneagle considerately backed out of the room.

"Thank you," Aleda finally said to the floor once she was standing. She had wanted, so badly, for him to...

"I deeply apologize for the mishap, milady," Zero said, seeing her embarrassment. "The fault is mine. I tripped you." The Gundamess still did not look up at him or reply. Zero sighed. "I think lessons are over for now. You seem tired." His shield, and the sword with it, vanished.

Aleda's rapier disappeared, as well. "I'm sorry!" she said, still red.

"It is nothing, milady. You have worked hard, and I see it in your growing skill."

"Th-thank you," Aleda said, forcing a smile. "We'll see each other later at Shute's house, right?"

"Actually, later... I wondered if I could speak to you privately?" Zero said.

Aleda blinked at him curiously.

"I have... something important to discuss with you." The Knight Gundam began to squirm. "So, perhaps, when everyone else leaves for Shute's home..."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Is it something bad?"

Zero shook his head. "No, not at all! It's a very good thing—at least," he said, momentarily dodging her glance as a blush highlighted his handsome face, "I hope it is good—but there is nothing the matter. It is simply very important." He peered at her again. "Does this idea please you?"

Aleda slowly nodded.

"Then as the others leave, shall we meet at the launch deck?"

"S-sure…"

Zero lit with delight, and, to Aleda's astonishment, the knight took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it tenderly. "Then, I shall see you soon, Lady Aleda," Zero said with a smile that melted her motherboard, before gently tugging her hand. "Come, let us go so that Guneagle may train."

Aleda warmed from that hand all the way up to her face and down to the gold-edged tips of her feet. Speech eluded her as Zero escorted her to the door.

Zero let go of her hand at the doorway and gestured. "You first, milady."

"Th-thank you!" The Gundamess quickly darted out and around the bend without another motion of farewell.

"I quite startled her, didn't I?" Her departure left Zero a moment to ponder the lovely lady, her adorable flustered face, and the important discussion ahead. He took a deep breath. _It is now or never._ Floating out the door, he called, "The room is free, now, Guneagle."

"Thanks! And good luck!" Guneagle jabbed him a thumbs-up.

Zero sighed. _News travels too soon, here. _

...

"Hey, Shute." Margaret bounced a bit on her heels as she bounded up to Shute by the monkey bars.

The boy stopped in mid-lunge for the first bar. "Woah!" He teetered on the edge of the platform for a moment before catching himself. "Uh, hey, Margaret..." he greeted her, scratching the back of his neck.

Margaret locked her fingers together and bit the corner of her lip. "I drew a picture of your friend, and I thought you'd like to see it."

"Oh, really?" Shute beamed. "Sure, I'd love to see it!" He hopped down from the gym set and followed her to the bench where her sketchbook lay unopened.

Margaret unfolded her sketchbook as they sat and flipped through the pages. "Here it is!" She stopped at a picture of a blocky robot with a golden V-shaped crest and a long rifle facing off against a blue spiky shape bearing a yellow block on his back. A huge Ferris wheel rose below the pair of fighting 'bots.

Shute beamed. "Ah, cool! This is better than my drawings!"

"You draw, now?"

Shute nodded. "I like drawing designs for new inventions."

"Oh. Like your friend?"

"Uh...?" Shute's eyes rolled to the sky as he tried to mentally untangle what miscommunication he had stumbled into.

The girl pushed back an escaped strand of hair. "Shute?"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Did you get the brain surgery?"

"What?"

"You said you were going to have brain surgery, and you might act different. And, you've been acting a little... different." Margaret shrugged. "So, I was just wondering if it happened, already."

Shute's face fell. "Uh... yeah." He scratched his head. "It did. I don't remember things very well. I'm sorry."

Margaret's dirty-blond ponytail wiggled as she shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm happy as long as we're still friends. Though...will I get to see Captain, again?"

"Uhm..."

"They said I was an extra for the movie. But, they can hire me again, right?"

"Uh..." Shute locked onto a cloud, again. "I, uh, I don't know... It's not up to me, you know?"

Margaret sighed. "Yeah, I guess they want all that stuff kept secret, don't they?" she said, nodding to the illustrated Ferris wheel fight.

"Yeah, sorry."

"No, it's fine." She smiled. "Someday, when they release the movie, he won't have to be a secret, anymore, right? I'll wait until then for my autograph."

Shute smiled. "I know he'll be happy to see you."

...

"Hey, Zero! You coming?" Baku waved his friend over as Captain stepped ahead on the Gunperry. The three Gundams were at the finger-shaped launch deck to prepare to depart to Shute's house as usual—or, at least, most of them were.

Zero shook his head. "No, my friend. I have other plans, today."

"Ah, ha~" Baku sang slyly as he strolled to Zero. "Aleda said she wasn't going, either." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you up to something...?"

The Winged Knight's gaze migrated to the side of the base's hull. "I... er, have important things to discuss with her." He coughed.

"Alone?"

"Yes, privately. *cough*"

Baku beamed. "So, you listened to my advice?"

Zero raised his chin. "I wouldn't go quite that far, but your words _did_ have a slight effect."

"Congratulations, you sap!" Baku clapped him on the back, earning a brief "Oof!" "Go get her!" Then, he bounded away, calling, "If you don't have a girlfriend when I see you next, you'll be in trouble!"

Zero sighed. _Everyone here is nosy, too. _

...

_Everyone else is already leaving! _Aleda thought frantically as she charged through the halls. She dodged people with "Pardon me"s and squeezed through slow automatic sliding doors until she reached the open air on the launch deck. She breathed a sigh of relief. _Zero's still here. _The Knight Gundam was hovering a few feet away, gazing at her, as he had been since the second her flight boosters blipped into the scene.

"I-I'm sorry I took so long!" Aleda apologized, bowing her head in shame.

"You worry over nothing, milady," Zero said as he approached her. "I was not waiting long."

Aleda squirmed under his intent gaze. "Is there... something on me?"_ And I polished and buffed for an hour!_

Zero, turning rosy red, shook his head. "N-No! You're spotless, milady!" he stammered. And, truly, he did think he could even see his face reflecting off her armor's shiny surface. After taking a moment to quell his butterflies, he took her hand, saying gently, "You're very lovely, by the way. Shall we depart?"

"Uh-uhm, yes. Th-thank you," Aleda stammered, blushing.

The two Lacroans lifted off with Zero leading the way. He gently tugged on Aleda's hand, guiding the Gundamess southward, close to the treetops. "Where are we going?" Aleda asked.

"Patience, milady. It's a surprise."

Aleda smiled. "Okay."

The city of Neotopia gradually gave way to a wide forest. "Hm…" Zero hummed, visually skimming the trees. "Which way…? Ah." Aleda watched his face for any clue as they descended into a small clearing. Once they touched down on the soft grass, Zero released her, and her glance shifted to the woods surrounding her. Flowers sprang up all over the little clearing. Beyond, in the trees, the flowers were sparser, but shafts of sunlight poking through the tree line here and there revealed healthy woods and scampering chipmunks.

"Are we there?" Aleda asked.

"Close." Zero grasped her hand, again. "Come, milady."

She allowed his gentle pull to draw her through the trees. On their hover magic, they dipped into a valley and turned around a thicket. Soon, the turf sloped upwards. Still, Zero guided them along. "Where are we going, Zero?"

The trees dispersed, revealing a grassy cliff edge. Beyond stretched a wide expanse of green fields pockmarked by forests, and still past that, a familiar cityscape that glittered in the afternoon sun. A tree of steel grew from its center, the towers branching over the city. "Here we are, milady," Zero said, at last letting go.

Aleda floated to the edge of the precipice. "That's Neotopia," she breathed. "We _did _turn around."

"I didn't want you to catch wind of my surprise from above," Zero said, growing a smirk. "I found this spot long ago during my lonely wanderings. It was one of my favorites. I thought you might also like it, milady."

"I do like it!" Aleda gasped. "But... what did you want to talk to me about?"

The Knight Gundam scratched the corner of his visor. "Well, you see... it is related to this, because..." He coughed. "*Ahem* I..." But, his intake valve caught, and the wind wheezed right out of him. "S-Sorry, milady, I *cough* must still be recovering... Uhm..." Desperate for a handhold, he tried to mask his nervousness with his familiar, charming disguise. "Milady?" he said, facing her. "This beautiful spot reminds me of your eyes, b-because they are green, and..." His gaze slid away again. "...and the fields are green—except for the city, which is less green—but... Agh!" He wheeled, his mortification and infatuation breaking free to flood his face with red. "Why can't I say it?!"

Aleda bashfully shifted her feet, though she still watched the knight expectantly. Patiently. Breathlessly.

_No, I cannot retreat, now! _Zero insisted to himself. His chest burned, and his GunSoul shone bright. Urged by the furnace inside, Zero turned and stepped to his lady, staring straight into her wide emerald eyes. "Aleda." He took her small hand. "For so long..." he began as a blush bloomed on her face and her green GunSoul gem began to glow, "for so long, I have—"

A golden feather whizzed through the air and landed in the ground beside them. The two Lacroans jumped.

"Speak up, Winged Knight! I want to hear, too!" Tallgeese floated over the precipice, wheezing in laughter, while on either side Mercurius and Vayeate waited, armed with their respective magical weapons, a floating arc of electrical generators and a staff. "Tallgeese! How did you get here?!" Zero demanded. Inwardly he cursed himself for allowing the trio's powerful magic auras to slip past his radar. _I must have been so anxious and distracted with Aleda—Oh, Mana, how could I make such a mistake?! _

Tallgeese's laughter settled into a grin. "Why, my Dark Axis allies gave me a hand, of course!" he said. "And, what have we, here?" Aleda shuddered as his eyescreens somehow moved to survey her in spite of the lack of visible mock-irises or pupils. "Up to your usual flirtatious escapades, Knight of Lacroa?"

Zero stepped around Aleda to shield her from sight. "You are not welcome to this peaceful land! Leave Neotopia, at once!"

Mercurius shrugged. "But, we just got here!"

"I am not leaving so soon," Tallgeese said, raising his hand. "Oh, Mana of Darkness..."

"Oh, Mana!" Zero cast his own magic circle. From behind, he also sensed energy leaving Aleda, as she reached for her rapier with both hands.

"Oh-ho! Fight, will she?" Tallgeese jeered.

Zero yanked his sword from its shield-scabbard and poised himself with shield forward. "You will not touch her!" he growled.

"Big words from a cornered mouse." Tallgeese brought his heavy, wide sword to bear. "Let's see you try to stop me, Gundam!"

"Zero..." Aleda murmured, her skirt armor tinking as she quivered.

"Stay close. Our allies will come, soon," Zero said without turning. His glare shifted warily between the three opponents as he stepped forward to create ample room. He was a Royal Knight, trained to defend a princess from assassination even when outnumbered. He would surely defend this one.

...

Guneagle was passively twirling the Foosball table poles when Titan entered. "Hey!"

Titan landed. "Hello...?"

"I'm Guneagle, remember? Coolest flying Gundam around here?"

"Guneagle. I believe I heard someone once call you the 'other fly-boy.'"

"Ouch, that stings, man," Guneagle complained. "Zero is definitely the 'other one.' So, what's up?"

"I am off-duty, so I'm searching for... entertainment."

"Well, you've come to the right place!" Guneagle said, gesturing grandly to the myriad of attractive entertainment sources. "You could spend hours in here! This is the place we like to hang out in. And, really, it's the only place I get to just chill with people, since I'd be pretty conspicuous down in the city."

Titan sized up the wide T.V. screen and pool table. "I've seen others use these, but I've never touched them myself," he noted. "It will be... interesting, to become accustomed to this kind of life."

"Well, hey, you're an official member of the Force, now, so you can have a go at it." Guneagle waved him towards the foosball table. "Zero adjusted pretty quick, so I think you'll have no problems!"

"He is... used to this?"

"Yeah. He spends alotta time here with Aleda or Baku."

"With Lady Aleda?"

Guneagle scratched his helmet nervously. "Uh, yeah... But, I mean, usually he and Aleda are hanging around other people, too. And, when Shute gets home from school, everyone—except me—" he added glumly "—goes to his house for team bonding time."

Titan nodded. "Like today."

"Well, not _today,_ but most days."

The bulkier Knight Gundam narrowed his hazel eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Uh..." Guneagle snuck his gaze to the door. "I mean, they're not with Shute and the others, today."

"Meaning they are where?"

"Uh... Somewhere...?"

"Are they not on this base?"

"I saw them fly off together somewhere."

Titan eyed the flier with a hint of disturbingly sharp displeasure.

Guneagle threw up his hands in self-defense. "Don't look at me! I have no idea where they went, or why!"

Titan sighed irritably. "That knight can't help himself, can he?" He strode for the door. "I'm going to find them and have a discussion with our 'Chosen One.'"

"You sure you don't wanna play Foosball?" Guneagle offered weakly.

But, the Knight Gundam had already left.

...

"I'm gonna win~!" Baku said, waving around his sole remaining card. On Shute's porch table, the rest of the Gundam Force played a simple game of cards. Shute groaned at Baku's gloating.

"Sorry, Bakunetsumaru," Captain said, setting down his last card. "UNO!" The lounge room filled with groans from the circle of people on the floor.

Baku stared. "Huh?! When did that happen?"

"I've been waiting for a four for a whole five minutes, and I finally got a wild card," Captain explained.

"Oh, yeah…"

"It's okay, Baku," Shute said, patting him on his back armor. "Maybe you'll win next time."

"But, Captain's won every game so far," Baku whined.

All of a sudden, Captain's V-fin inverted and flashed. "Dark Axis activity has been detected."

Shute and Baku leapt up. "Where?" Baku demanded, his hands already at his hilts.

"In an unusually remote location."

"We still gotta stop them!" Shute declared. "No telling what they're up to!"

"Zero and Aleda have already begun to engage them," Captain stated.

Baku jolted. "What?!"

"There are three enemies matching the description of Tallgeese, Vayeate, and Mercurius."

"All of them?! This is bad! We have to go help them right away!"

"Let's go get 'em!" Shute pumped his fist. Captain nodded.

...

Mercurius lifted his arms, and the arc of circular generators floating at his back crackled.

"Oh, Mana!" A magic dome surrounded Zero and Aleda just as the lightning lashed, and it sparked off without harm. Zero drew his arm back and stepped, dissipating the bubble as he threw a blue flash. "Lacroan Crescent!"

The Griffon-faced shield intercepted. Bong! Tallgeese sneered. "Pathetic." He waved his sword forward. "Mercurius, Vayeate, get him!"

A crack of thunder and a gust of wind ripped at the Knight Gundam on either side. Zero's shield caught the lightning, and his magic circle blocked the gale. The streams recoiled and then struck again. Zero grunted but dug in his slender feet. His circuits buzzed, and his GunSoul burned. The attacks snapped at him like snakes, biting at his shoulder, his feet, and his head while he danced to parry with his sword and shield.

Tallgeese dove suddenly, and Zero twisted to face him, only for lightning to whip into his back. "Aahh!" He stumbled.

A blue pulse smacked Tallgeese in the face, and he tumbled back, his sword swinging wide of the Knight Gundam. Zero righted himself while Vayeate and Mercurius watched their leader anxiously. The Knight of the Tempest roared, his optical sensors locking onto the Gundamess who poised behind Zero with her rapier aligned before her body. "You'll pay for that, you rusty kettle!"

Zero slid between his lady and Tallgeese. "You'll not touch her, Tallgeese!"

"You'll both be blown away!" Mercurius cried. He and his brother flew to each other.

Zero darted to cut in, but Tallgeese's hefty sword crashed onto his shield. "Nah-ah-ah~" Tallgeese clucked. He pelted Zero with blow after blow, forcing him a step back.

Aleda, panting from fright, coiled her rapier for another Lacroan Crescent and shifted to aim past the dueling pair, but when Zero's steps retreated, his and Tallgeese's agile, zipping forms stole her clean shot. _What now?! _Vayeate and Mercurius's dark purple magic circles spread. With a desperate lunge, her open left hand spewed flames in a blaze that snaked to Vayeate and blasted a wind turbine. With a yelp, Vayeate dropped, clunked on the edge of the cliff, and rolled off before his free hand caught the ledge.

"Vayeate!" Mercurius shouted down in concern.

Tallgeese looked, and Zero rammed him with his shield. "Gah!" As the foe recoiled, Zero replanted himself in front of Aleda. Dings marred the Winged Knight's shield and arm guard, and he breathed heavily as his cooling system attempted to keep his overclocked circuitry operating. Vayeate crawled over the ledge and soon returned to the air, though he looked less formidable with a smoking husk over one shoulder.

"Playtime is over," Tallgeese growled. Mercurius and Vayeate slipped around to flank the Gundams. Zero jerked his view between each of them as if to ward them with his stare. Aleda, turning to watch them, placed herself back-to-back with her knight.

"Remain close to me," Zero again warned Aleda as he eyed Tallgeese and the red brother within his periphery. "These are no green warriors."

"Can't we run?" Aleda asked.

"They're too fast."

"You want to run, little lady?" Mercurius laughed. "Brother, you join with Lord Tallgeese to eliminate Zero. My shield will take this one's fire."

Zero wheeled in alarm, but Tallgeese and Vayeate charged. "En guarde, Zero!" Tallgeese crowed as he readied to strike through the young knight's shaken defense.

A blur of blue bowled into the formation, knocking Tallgeese and Vayeate aside and ramming into Mercurius's advancing shield.

"Titan!" Zero gasped.

The navy blue Knight Gundam's flight boosters whined loudly as he insistently pushed Mercurius with two of his shields. "You will answer for this later, Winged Knight!" he grunted at Zero. He shoved, and Mercurius toppled into the grass. "What were you thinking, venturing out alone?!"

The patter of a Gunperry drowned out Zero's defensive reply.

Gundam Force spotted their own circled by the Dark Axis allies. "Titan's there, too!" Shute observed from within Gunbike's seat.

"Then let's help them!" Baku drew his two katana. "Hii-ya!" He and Captain jumped, and Gunbike roared into the sky.

Tallgeese glanced up as they leapt out of the Gunperry. "So glad of you to join us, Gundam Force! I'm glad that you've all gathered here for me to destroy."

Gunbike parked near the trees with Shute, far from the cliff edge. "Do yer thing, rookies!" he called to the team. "We've gotch-yer back!"

"Aleda, listen," Zero whispered gravely, catching the attention of the Gundamess who was back-to-back with him. "I'll get Vayeate to move. When he does, go stay with Gunbike."

Aleda nodded. "I'll heal you if it turns bad."

"Thank you, milady."

Tallgeese chortled. "You only defeated us last time because you had the Feather Dragon," he stated haughtily. "Now that the Sacred Beast is gone, my Griffin will devour you."

"There are many things you have not accounted for, Tallgeese," Zero said. "You lose today!" He flung a petal-edged gust at Vayeate.

"Humph." The Knight of Storm waved his wand, and the wind reversed. But Titan sprang into the path and braced his shields against the gale while Aleda shot above to escape the battle ring.

"No, you don't!" Tallgeese climbed to catch the fleeing girl, but Zero flew between them.

"Your fight lies with me!" Zero cried, swinging his blade.

"So be it!" Tallgeese brought his sword to bear and slammed it into Zero's with a clang.

"And who faces me?" Mercurius demanded. Captain stepped forward. "Hm. I had hoped to spar with the lady, but you will do."

"Bakunetsumaru," Captain said without breaking his stare with the red Knight of Thunder. "We must disable one of the knight brothers to prevent their combined attack. Vayeate is weakened; you and Titan take him out quickly. I'll stall Mercurius."

Baku nodded. "Good luck," he said, running to catch up with the blue blurs speeding after each other in the skies.

Aleda watched the fight anxiously next to Shute and Gunbike. The hand gripping her rapier was quivering. "Aleda, careful with that. Ya've got such bad nerves I'm afraid ya'll scrape my paint by accident," Gunbike said.

"Oh. Sorry," Aleda said, steadying her hand. "So, they're from Lacroa, too?" she asked Shute.

"Yeah," the boy answered. "The red one's Mercurius, the blue one's Vayeate, and the one Zero's fighting is Tallgeese. They're the ones who trapped us in the Magic Square of Darkness."

"I remember that," Aleda said. She glanced up at the mid-air swordfight between her beloved knight and Tallgeese, and winced as Zero strained to push back the larger sword with his own. Zero finally dropped the sword lock and dodged to the side, leaving Tallgeese's sword to swing into empty air.

"Where is Fenn?!" Zero demanded of his foe, charging in again for another slash.

"How should I know?" Tallgeese said nonchalantly, though with a slight grunt as he blocked Zero's attack with his shield. "I rode its tail to Lacroa, but then it shook me off and flew away!" He swung his sword.

Zero evaded, backing away again. "Who else knows about Fenn? Have you sent your Pawns after him?"

"Of course," Tallgeese said, "but they've found nothing, yet." With a smirk, he added, "Too bad that Spirit cannot come to your aid, now. It's stuck in Lacroa, weakened by exhausting so much of its power to save _you!_"

"I can defeat you on my own, Tallgeese!" Zero dashed in close. The swords flashed and glinted, rapping and smacking in a sparky dance.

"It is useless, Winged Knight," Tallgeese gloated. "I have the Sacred Spirit Griffon, and the Feather Dragon is at my doorstep. I will only grow more powerful!"

"Your threats are as empty as your heart!" Zero countered.

"Deathscythe is clever and is rich in knowledge of Spirits. He'll soon find the Dragon, and in its poor state, he'll have no trouble capturing it for me."

"No!"

Tallgeese cackled and knocked Zero back. "It soon won't matter to you, Winged Knight! I'll finish you!" he cried, charging.

Zero righted himself and brought his shield between himself and the enemy's sword.

Tallgeese laughed as he pressed against the shield, "So many ripe Gundam targets! The Dark Axis General has been pressuring us for more. I'll kill you, of course, and that blasted Musha Gundam, and the one from Neotopia, but those other Lacroan Gundams I can send straight to him, and oh, you don't want to know what they do to Gundams there..."

The hand on the Vatras Sword shook. "I won't let you!"

Tallgeese peered into his eyescreens. "Are you angry because you're soft on the Gundamess? Such an unnecessary weakness."

"Says ye who cannot woo a pig!" Zero kicked Tallgeese in the side, and the larger Lacroan flinched, allowing Zero to stab him in the shoulder of his sword arm.

Tallgeese howled in pain and darted to a safe distance. Mercurius and Vayeate's heads jerked toward their lord, each earning a laser beam and a sword smack.

However, Captain's Vulcan cannon fire petered into nothing. "Out of ammo," he stated. "And I already ran out of energy in my beam rifle." He pulled out his beam saber's hilt and lighted it, sending crackling red energy flaring from the cylinder.

A flaming X swept towards Vayeate, and his remaining fan chugged to repel it. But, Vayeate's wind gave way before the Blazing Samurai's might. Vayeate dodged to the side only for Titan to body-slam him to the ground. "Get off me!" Vayeate flailed under the Knight Gundam's strong grip.

Tallgeese swerved away from Zero's relentless advances. Soon, his hand went limp from the dead wires in his shoulder and let go his sword, which vanished back into the Mana of Darkness. The Knight of the Tempest clutched his shoulder painfully, then chuckled. "That smarts, Gundam. But no more lucky hits. Sacred Griffin! Give me your power!" A woefully familiar golden Griffin emerged from Tallgeese's shield. "Come to me!" Tallgeese commanded, flying to the Griffin as the beast arced towards him.

"No, you don't!" Zero charged to reach him before the Sacred Beast.

Mercurius, standing with his shield against Captain's beam saber slashes, flared his electric generators and zapped the Neotopian to stun him, then kicked his beam saber out of his hands. The cylinder, auto-deactivating the energy blade, stuck in the dirt near Gunbike. Shute jumped up. "Captain!"

Captain tensed in preparation for a brutal attack, but Mercurius pivoted and sped for Zero. Captain tried to launch a round of his Vulcan cannons, but the empty chambers clicked uselessly.

"Zero, behind you!" Aleda cried.

The Winged Knight whipped around and slashed to send his shockwave at the Knight of Thunder. Mercurius slammed to the ground, but Zero turned to deal with Tallgeese too late; bright light engulfed Spirit and master and then dissipated, revealing the Knight of the Tempest's fearsome transformation.

Tallgeese's golden wings flared, and his eyescreen glowed. He sneered at Zero, but then his pupil-less gaze jerked to the winged Gundamess waiting across the battlefield. "Hm?"

Zero drifted deliberately in his line of sight. "What are you looking at, Tallgeese? Your fight is with me!"

Tallgeese grinned behind his faceplate. "Ooohhh, I see, now." His claw knuckles radiated to extend ethereal echoes for several feet, exposing their wicked, sharp contours. "It is not simply for love that you are so possessive of that Gundamess."

Zero blinked, then reset his wide stance behind his shield. "You shall fall this day!" he tried to threaten.

His opponent cocked his head. "Oh. You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" Zero demanded.

Tallgeese laughed. "Of course! You cannot see it!"

"What are you talking about, Tallgeese?!"

"Spirit energy is emanating from that Gundamess." Tallgeese smirked. "What does that tell you, Winged Knight?"

Zero gaped. "I..." he glanced back a moment at his lady. Too far away to hear them, Aleda watched with her hand on her rapier and her emerald eyes, beautiful as always, watching him. "You must be mistaken. She is a normal Gundamess!"

"No, Zero, she must have a summon Spirit!" Tallgeese declared. "One that Griffon recognizes all too well."

"She never summoned a Spirit!"

Tallgeese raised a claw, curling the fingers to show each of its curved knives. "So, Winged Knight, I cannot woo a pig? I would like to test that theory. What if after I kill you I take your precious Gundamess, and her summon Spirit?"

Zero's blue eyes steeled. "You won't touch her!" he shouted. "She has nothing to do with this! Leave her out of it!" He rushed ahead.

While Baku watched with katana primed, Vayeate still struggled against Titan. "Good night, traitor." Titan yanked his shoulders to head-butt his victim.

A wand-smack knocked one shield from its precarious grip in his hand. "What?! Gah—!" Vayeate's fan blasted a cyclone straight into Titan's chest. He and Baku behind him were blown into a close cluster of tree trunks. Cracks and splintering and grinding of dirt grated. After they stilled, Titan rolled from the wreckage of half-buried tree corpses—and from the smothered Musha Gundam beneath him.

Baku, in spite of a new impression on his front, still held onto both his katana. "You're heavy," he groaned.

Titan put a hand under Baku's shoulder to haul him out. "Get up, quick!"

The joint promptly popped. A yowl followed by intense hisses alerted Aleda. "Baku!" She zipped towards the trees.

Titan goggled the damage he'd done until he spotted Vayeate standing and scrambled to conceal Baku and himself with his shields. Tallgeese's lackey flung another cyclone, which brutally assaulted their shelter.

In the midst of their swordplay, Tallgeese smacked Zero's hands sharply with his knuckles, knocking his blade and shield from their grasp. The quick motion left Zero with only enough time to turn around, unarmed and wide-eyed, and leap to the side as Tallgeese swiped with his claws. A sting grazed his right shoulder, but Tallgeese zoomed past. Zero spun around again. _Where'd he go? _When he saw Tallgeese's trajectory, terror pierced his GunSoul. "Aleda!" he screamed, diving to save her.

Titan, eyes widening, twisted and slipped against the cyclone.

The Gundamess glanced up at Zero's shout and saw Tallgeese coming straight for her, a giant red lance materializing in one hand.

Titan dug in his thick feet. "Run!" he shouted above the roaring winds.

Aleda broke her pause to fly faster towards him. Titan objected, "That isn't what I—!"

Tallgeese veered to compensate for her sudden acceleration. Only a few feet away, he raised his lance to spear her through. "Ha! I've got you!"

Titan launched.

With a cry, Aleda dove for the ground. A loud "woosh!" passed just overhead. She sprang to stab with her rapier, but the lance was already coming. Someone shoved her roughly aside.

A sickening sound of sliced metal shrieked through the Gundam Force's ears. Aleda pushed herself up to her knees and turned to see Zero's red-caped back. Through the bright fabric pierced a sharp red tip. Aleda croaked in disbelief. The Knight Gundam amazedly gaped down at the lance piercing the left side of his chest, and his hands still grasped the shaft where he'd tried desperately to catch it. Cruel laughs rang from the winged monster.

Aleda's knight wobbled. "Zero!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I remember that this was one of the parts of the first draft where my old friend said, "I hate you." And, of course, I just said back, "Bwahahahahaha!"

I know that Tallgeese's added involvement goes against the grain of the show. I do eventually rectify his, Mercurius, and Vayeate's status to match with season 2, but I really wanted to play around with him a little more. I considered giving at least some of Tallgeese's major roles to Deathscythe in order to let Tallgeese just stay in limbo, but there are some things that you can only do with Tallgeese (like bananas).

Some people may be wondering about Titan's status in the SDG. I intended for it to be that Titan had not yet officially joined the SDG before he left to find his master, though he planned to, soon. By the events of Chapter 20, he still was not part of the SDG. I'm sorry if that wasn't very clear in the story; I ought to add that in specifically when I next revise my chapters.

Speaking of revision, I've done a slight touch-up to some of the earlier chapters and have posted 1 to 20 to Inkitt as a volume for a fanfic contest. The contest is decided by reader votes. If you think that this fic is good, please vote for it ;) Inkitt does require you to register in order to vote for a fic, but it only takes a second. I've seen the traffic stats for this fanfic every month, so I can say that if everyone who reads this votes we can easily bump this to the top 10%. Deadline's the 29th of December, so hop to it! (Inkitt dot com)

Thank you to the people who have reviewed so far. Please, everyone, give me more reviews! Especially since the dreaded Error Type 1 has returned and has prevented me from seeing any hits since the 9th of this month.

I will try to update regularly, again, but unfortunately I can't say what that schedule will look like. It may have to be about once a month (every 4 weeks), depending on how heavy my workload gets this next year. I'm entering a full-time internship starting at the beginning of January. 40+ hours a week, I will be coaching and teaching children their academics, setting up the classroom with a mentor, and planning lessons with other teachers. It will be exciting and fun, but it will keep me very busy, so I won't have as much time to write. This fic will be slower in its updates than this last year, but don't worry! I refuse to let this fic drop!

Thanks to _Titanic X _for beta-reading this chapter!

See you all around!

-Penelopi


	22. Panic at the SDG

**Author's Notes**

I'm taking advantage of the snow days to get this up :D (Only have had one day of school open for the kids for the last two weeks.)

We pick up right where we left off for the last chapter. This chapter I struggled with because I was originally planning to have it cover more events. I realized that 1. I hadn't properly accounted for everything that's happening and needed to expand on some things 2. the flow would be better if I drew out Zero's distressing situation a bit longer :) So, I chopped and transferred some parts to the next chap. This one's still fairly long (I apologize).

Content Warning: There is no character death in this chapter, but there is a brief moment when the villain has some cruel fun. I don't think it'll make anyone upset, because it's only a few words, but I wanted to let you know just in case. Skim over the first few paragraphs if you think you might get uncomfortable.

**Disclaimer**

SD Gundam Force is produced by Sunrise and Bandai. My OCs presented or mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Mary Vaughn, and Via Vaughn. All other characters and names belong to Sunrise and Bandai.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Panic at the SDG**

"Zero!" Aleda cried.

The Winged Knight gasped in pain as he futilely grasped at the lance impaling him.

"Uncomfortable, Winged Knight? How about a little twist?" Tallgeese sneered, giving a tug on his weapon. Zero croaked.

"Tenk-yo-ken!" A blazing line severed Tallgeese's hold on the lance. Bakunetsumaru charged in, one arm limp and one sword aflame in preparation for another slice, with angry fire in his eyes to match. Tallgeese, clutching his crispy hand, flew away as fast as if the devil himself chased him.

Mercurius leapt out of Captain's reach, whizzed by to snatch his brother, and followed Tallgeese. "Tenkyoken!" Baku shouted again, sending his flames in pursuit. The air exploded, but when the cloud settled, their foes were still flying. The samurai, panting, screeched to a halt and yelled after them, "I'll kill you!"

"I'll be back, for that one!" Tallgeese declared, casting a glare at Aleda across the wide expanse. She recoiled and shuddered under the leering look, before Tallgeese turned away and vanished into the distance.

The lance inside Zero disappeared into whatever magic realm it had come from, leaving behind a gaping hole next to his GunSoul. A jerk rocked him. His lady caught him as he began to collapse. "Zero! Zero!" He sank slowly to his knees in her tight hold. "Are you okay?! Say something!" Aleda cried, peering into the knight's pain-stricken face as tears began to build in her eyescreens.

"Are…you alright…Little Wing?" Zero breathed weakly. "He…didn't…hurt you?"

Aleda's GunSoul twisted. "I'm fine, Zero. Not a scratch on me. Hold on, I'll heal you!"

"I…I want to…lie down…" Zero wheezed out. He winced as another shudder tore through his body.

Aleda obediently, and gently, lowered him on his side. "Hold on, Zero! I'll seal it up for you!" She reached, and the magic of her touch capped the sparking wire ends visible inside his wound. "The pain should be gone, now," she said. But, Zero's frame no longer moved. "Zero?"

No answer.

"Zero?!" She pressed her face to the ground to peer under the visor and found the eyes unlit. "Zero! Zero!"

The rest of the Gundam Force, panting, reached their Lacroan comrades. Titan limped forward, dropped, and touched Zero's GunSoul. "The leaks have been stopped, but the circuits have not yet reconnected." When Aleda closed her eyes and willed the glow in her hand to return, Titan grabbed her. "Don't, you'll make it worse!" he said. "He has lost too much energy! His systems are seizing up! Casting the healing magic now would hasten the freeze of his vital units!"

"What do I do?!"

"We need a different healing spell. A better one than either of us know."

Captain knelt down, his green visor sliding over his eye.

"Can we save him?" Baku asked Captain softly as the Neotopian studied their fallen comrade.

Captain's visor retracted, and he met his friends' worried gazes. "He's still alive. It missed his GunSoul by only 4.02 centimeters. There are many ongoing major disruptions to his systems. We need to get him back to White Base, immediately. If he does not receive compatible supplemental energy, the projected calculations say that he will cease all functions within the hour."

Aleda whimpered and hugged Zero's helmeted head, fighting the cries that tried to escape her. But they were slipping out, in spite of her efforts. Titan hesitantly hovered his uninjured hand over her shaking shoulder.

Shute crouched beside her. "Don't worry. He'll make it. Zero's tough."

"How much of a chance is there?" Baku asked Captain over the Gundamess's tears.

"There is only a 30% chance that we will save him," Captain said sadly.

Baku recoiled as if his own GunSoul had been pierced. "What?!"

"We may or may not have a compatible energy source. Neotopians and Lacroans run on different energy types. They may be able to give some of theirs," Captain said, gesturing to the fretful Knight Gundam and the tearful Gundamess, the latter beginning to stroke Zero's face. "The next choice would be yours. But if no one's energies are compatible, then we'll have to try energy conversion. And that has a slim chance of success."

Baku shook his head in distress. "Please, don't tell me the numbers."

...

The two Gunperrys arrived in minutes. "Stabilize the patient!" said a GM as he and two others rushed to Zero. Aleda had to release her knight and watch the mobile citizens lower him onto a stretcher.

"Everyone, load up, quick!" another GM ordered as they worked.

"Captain! Pee-wee! With me!" Gunbike sped up the ramp of one Gunperry, and Captain and Shute ran after him.

The rest preceded Zero's stretcher into the second Gunperry. "This way," a GM waved them over to the side, away from a mountain of wires, screens, and batteries hugging the opposite corner. Within seconds, the GMs set their patient down at the small repair station, and the ramp had closed them all into the crowded space. Aleda braced herself against the wall as the Gunperry rose. Baku maintained balance on his own two feet and stared at his friend as the GMs shone their helmet-mounted lights into Zero's chest hole.

"These should be energy circuits. Connect the battery here!"

They lowered wires with alligator clips on each end into the Knight Gundam. "Don't look at it," Baku said to Aleda, who still watched. When she was slow to turn her wide eyes away, he pulled her shoulders to steer her.

"What are they doing?" Titan asked.

A GM beside them said, "They are applying Zero's emergency energy ration in order to keep his functions operational."

"Emergency energy ration?" Baku repeated.

"Chief Kao Lyn found the limited repair options for the damage you sustained from Ashuramaru unacceptable, so he formulated a more effective response for the next dire situation. All Sola Diorama Gundams in the SDG have had some of their energy siphoned into batteries in case of emergencies."

"...Are you saying he took my life force without asking me?" Baku grumbled.

"I think it a prudent decision," Titan said.

Aleda hugged herself.

"The energy is accepted! Energy level rising by 0.01% every three seconds!"

"Are there still leaks?"

"No leakage detected. Excess energy drain is occurring. Systems are at 23.82% of normal efficiency. Fan speed at approximately 163% of normal rates. Temperature of critical components in excess of 25 degrees above normal."

"Maintain external energy source. Cool the subject to increase efficiency."

Aleda shuttered her optical sensors, but, in spite of how those words yanked at her core, she was too afraid to switch off her audios, lest she suddenly lose Zero without even hearing it.

As the minutes drew on, and as floor fans buzzed, Baku began to pant heavily. "Your shoulder still hurts you," Titan said with a regretful frown.

Aleda blinked open her optics. Baku cradled his shoulder, and his eyes were shut tight in a grimace. Gently, Aleda pried his hand away and touched the shoulderguard, where the blue glow of her magic penetrated the armor and outer frame, seeping down to the joint. Baku's frame relaxed. "Thanks. That's good for now. Wait until we get back."

Aleda nodded.

...

Twenty minutes post-combat, the injured Lacroan knight was lying on an operation table in Kao Lyn's workshop. The low SDG-emblazoned room dividers sectioned off the messy workspace strewn with carts bearing pliers and welding tools, computer screens, bright tripod lamps, and a couple of chairs, so that Kao Lyn and Bell Wood could have privacy with their patient. Zero's helmet had been removed, revealing a mesh-like pattern on the top of his head, and his wound was covered by a thick tarp wrapped around Zero's torso like a bandage. "That's all we'll do until we get some fuel in him," Kao Lyn said, bobbing restlessly by the bed.

"Okay, then, what next?" Bell Wood asked.

"Call in Titan or Aleda. We need to try their energy first: if it works, it'll save us some time, which, I don't have to remind you, is what we need right now."

"Sure thing." Bell Wood jogged through the automatic doors. The Gundam Force waited outside. Near the door, Aleda was raising her hands over Baku's shoulder, while Captain and Titan held him and his limb in place. Baku grimaced but kept himself still for his friends' treatment. Little flecks of grey water damage surrounded Aleda's eyescreens.

Upon seeing Bell Wood emerge, they released Baku and turned expectantly. "He's still alive," Bell Wood said, answering their unspoken inquiry. "But, the emergency reserves are running out, and he could use some more energy. Another Gundam from Lacroa is our best bet."

Aleda immediately came forward. "Take what you need."

"No." Titan released Baku and stepped closer. "Take mine." To Aleda he said, "Keep your strength. Your healing magic is needed." He looked pointedly at Baku.

Aleda frowned but said, "Okay."

Bell Wood waved Titan to follow him. "Come on in; Kao Lyn's already got the machine almost hooked up."

Titan obeyed, and the doors shut.

Aleda sank against the wall. "I know," the samurai beside her said while he rubbed his shoulder. "I wish I could do more, too."

"You both have proved critical in rescuing Zero," Captain chimed in. "You prevented Tallgeese from inflicting further damage, Bakunetsumaru, and Aleda, you stopped the loss of energy. Both of those actions have saved his life thus far."

"And with Titan's energy, he'll be up in no time, right?" Shute said.

"We hope so," Captain said. "In the meantime, there is one other concern that we must deal with. Aleda," he said, focusing his blue eyes on the Gundamess, "Tallgeese seems to have threatened to attempt another assault on you. Chief Haro has increased the number of staff on patrol within the base and surrounding Neotopia in anticipation of a future strike. Within minutes, you will be briefed on how you should conduct yourself in the future in order to maximize safety."

Aleda bit her lip behind her facemask. "Okay."

"Don't worry. We'll watch him for you," Shute assured her. "We'll come get you right away if anything changes."

"Thanks."

Soon, Captain escorted Aleda into Chief Haro's office. The chief saluted them as they entered, which they returned. "At ease," Chief Haro said, lowering his hand. "Captain Gundam, please remain while I brief Aleda. I want to ask you some questions, too."

"Yes, sir."

"Aleda." The bulbous green mask angled its eyes for the Gundamess. "During the last battle, Tallgeese specifically threatened to target you in another attack. Do you know why?"

Aleda shook her head, saying, "No, sir."

"Did anything happen during the battle that could give a clue as to what he wants?"

"He kept looking at me, and then he tried to—" She shivered and coiled inward. "—to get me. That's all I know."

"Did you notice anything out of the ordinary, Captain?" Chief Haro asked.

"Zero and Tallgeese shouted at each other, and their line of vision returned frequently to Aleda," Captain said. "It seemed to me that they were having an altercation concerning her."

"Could you hear what they said?"

"Some of the audio recorded in my databanks is audible, sir."

Chief Haro nodded. "That's all for now, Captain. We'll analyze the recording. But, until Tallgeese is neutralized," he continued, "Aleda, you are restricted to the confines of White Base at all times, and you will have at least one personnel guarding you at any given moment."

Aleda blinked her glassy eyes.

"Our goal is to keep you hidden and protected. We suspect that Tallgeese has a way to track his targets, which is why he was able to ambush the Gundam Force during Fenn's relocation and, today, to surprise you and Zero. We have to assume that Tallgeese is capable of tracing you _here_," Chief Haro stated carefully. "We are preparing for every possible scenario. Dr. Bell Wood will pause development of the Dimensional Transport Device in order to create a dampener that can cover the energy signatures of Gundams. Patrols are increased, and Zero will also be watched 24/7." He tapped his thumb against his knuckles. "I hope you understand the gravity of the situation."

"Yeah, I do..."

Chief Haro stepped closer to lay a hand on Aleda's shoulder, which temporarily brought her focus to his face. "You are a target, now, so watch your back and stay in our sights. Be ready to fight for your life at a moment's notice." His yellow-blinking eyes bore into her green ones. "I know that you are concerned for Zero, but make sure you keep up your strength. In the worst case, you will need it." He gave her a squeeze. "Do you understand, Aleda?"

The Gundamess numbly bobbed her head. "Yes, sir..."

"Good. You are dismissed. You may return to Chief Kao Lyn's workroom in order to wait for a status update on Zero, if you wish. Captain, escort her."

"Yes, sir!" With a quick salute, Captain turned to Aleda and followed her slow drift out of the Chief's office.

...

Aleda planted herself beside the doorway, again. Chief Haro's words swam in her head like carnival goldfish that dodged away whenever her net dipped in: full comprehension eluded her in her anguish. Baku pat her on the shoulder consolingly. "It'll be fine."

"Chief Kao Lyn has not had any other news?" Captain asked.

"No. But, still, it'll be fine."

Several minutes later, Kao Lyn poked his head out of the doorway with a smile. "Good news!"

Five faces lifted.

"Titan's energy seems to be working!"

"So, he's...?" Baku began.

"His vital systems are all receiving energy. Everything's patched up or replaced. Temporarily, of course," Kao Lyn elaborated. "His nanites hopefully will repair the circuitry so it'll hold. I'm not sure how well his body will take to the welding, or the wires we put in as replacements—they're not exactly made of the same stuff. I don't even know if we could reduce his pain. But give him a bit, and hopefully his nanites will repair him."

"So he'll…recover?" Aleda asked with baited breath.

"There's a good chance, woo-yah!" Kao Lyn said, celebrating with a karate kick.

"That's the Zero I know!" Baku said with a grin, "Never giving up without a fight!"

Joyful tears welled up in Aleda's eyes, and she smiled. When she found her voice, again, she murmured, "…Thank you, Kao Lyn." She quickly began wiping away her tears before they could slip down her cheeks.

"He's not out of the woods, yet! But, he's got a good chance," Kao Lyn repeated.

"Can we see him?" Shute asked.

"Yes! Come on in!"

Aleda, Bakunetsumaru, Captain, and Shute swarmed into the lab. In the dim room, a battery box was tethered to Titan, and the wires of another slid up under the tarp covering Zero's wound. The group bunched close to their injured friend. "Careful, don't touch anything!" Kao Lyn warned. "If anything comes out, then he'll be in trouble!"

Baku warily backed away.

"You took his helmet off," Shute observed, bending down to pick up the Romanesque armor piece off the floor. "Woah, it's heavier than I thought!" he said as he lifted it. "I didn't even know his could come off."

"In Ark and Lacroa, everyone's helmet can come off," Baku said. "We just don't do that, often."

Aleda stilled as she beheld the graceful curve of her knight's face. Awe, momentarily, erased the worry in her eyes, and longing mixed with the dull ache in her GunSoul. She touched her sore gem. _He's beautiful. _His handsome face had been a constant reassurance to her since the day they'd met. Her voicebox tightened, squeezed by the fear of losing her cherished protector.

"His condition is not anywhere near full recovery," Captain noted with disappointment.

Baku peered back at the Gundamess hovering near the rear of the group. "You can come closer, you know," he said.

"O-Oh." Blushing, Aleda weaved through and pulled a chair next to the table to sit. The knight's eyes were still lifeless and dark. "Will he wake up soon?" she asked.

"Not sure. Could be any time from three hours to three days," Bell Wood admitted.

"Woo!" Kao Lyn exclaimed, arching backwards to stretch his muscles. "I'm feeling tired and hungry. Bell Wood, set up the monitoring system to make my watch go off if Zero's status changes. I'm going to get a snack." The scientist bounded out of the lab before Bell Wood could protest.

The teenage genius groaned. "Of course! Leave the broken Gundam with the physicist!" After a minute of muttering and pushing little levers and knobs on the machine, he stomped behind one of the huge walls of partition mats dividing Zero from the rest of Kao Lyn's projects. The Gundam Force heard a heavy smack and slide, presumably as the young scientist threw his back against the divider and sulked.

"I will patrol this block of White Base for any signs of intruders," Captain said. "Titan, I know that you have some injuries that require rest, but I request that you remain with Aleda until my return."

Titan grunted his assent.

Aleda continued to gaze at her sleeping knight. "Okay. I'll stay here with Zero for a while."

"You look really tired," Shute said. "Is there something I can get for you to make you feel better?"

"My sketchbook would be nice. It's in the top drawer of my dresser, the one with the flowers."

"Uh…I don't know your password…?" Shute said, scratching his head uncomfortably.

"Oh, yeah. It's 8958."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"No. But, uhm…don't look in the sketchbook, please."

Baku laughed. "Have something private in there?

"Don't worry, I won't look at it," Shute promised. "See you in a minute!" He turned and walked with Captain through the sliding doors.

"I'm sticking around here," Baku said, striding to the thick table where his friend lay. He sat at the base and leaned back against its solid side.

Aleda placed her white hand on Zero's and waited.

...

Captain's V-fin flashed, and the Neotopian Gundam paused. _"Captain Gundam, Chief Haro requests Bakunetsumaru to his office for a debrief. We do not want to disturb those in Chief Kao Lyn's laboratory. Could you notify Bakunetsumaru?" _came Juli's voice.

"Roger." Captain marched back to the lab and stepped in. The occupants looked up. "Bakunetsumaru," Captain called. "You are requested."

The Musha Gundam smoothly climbed to his feet. "For how long?"

"I do not believe it will be more than 5.4832 minutes."

"Good. I'll be back, soon, guys." He waved at Aleda as he strode toward Captain. "Hey, take good care of him."

The Gundamess flushed. "Uh, o-okay."

Once the doors closed behind them, Captain said to Baku, "Chief Haro wishes to speak with you for a debrief."

"Sure thing." Baku stepped past him to continue on while the Neotopian lingered at the door.

"Bakunetsumaru," Captain began, catching his step. "I believe that Chief Haro will soon discuss this information with you, but as a friend to Zero and to Aleda, I feel that I must speak with you about the exchange I overhead between Zero and Tallgeese."

Baku slowed. "Overheard?"

"Zero had defeated Mercurius, so I had fewer stimuli competing for my focus." Captain neared his friend so he could lower his voice to a conversational volume. "Tallgeese believes that Aleda has a Summon Spirit."

Baku gaped. "A Summon Spirit? You mean like Fenn?"

Captain nodded. "Yes."

"Why does he think that?"

"That, I did not hear."

"Do you think he's right?"

"The probability is only 9.73%. I have observed no characteristics or behaviors indicating the presence of another being within Aleda or anywhere else on the premises."

"But, still, he's going to come after her."

"That is the best assumption."

Baku, glowering, punched a fist into his palm. "When he tries, I'll roast him! He's not getting away with what he's done!"

"Remember that a defensive posture would be more effective than an offensive one."

"The way I see it, if there's no Tallgeese, then he can't do anything else to Aleda _or_ Zero." Baku puffed out his chest. "That's my goal!"

"A valid point. I will continue to scan for any enemy magic activity." The Neotopian Gundam started off down another hall as he added, "Go ahead to meet Chief Haro."

"Right. I'll be back, soon!" Baku jogged the other way.

...

Bell Wood's distant mutters drifted over the side of the partition, but besides that soft din, Titan and Aleda were alone. "Milady," Titan began after a few moments of silence. "I must say something, while there is time to say it."

She turned her green eyes attentively to him.

"Tallgeese has declared that he will return to attack you, again." Titan shifted with a creak to partially sit up on the table so he could face her. "You are no longer safe here, Lady Aleda."

"I don't want to leave." Aleda gripped Zero's hand tighter with both of hers. "It was an accident. Zero and I won't go out alone, again. It'll be fine." Behind her mouthguard, she bit her lip. "Besides, I promised myself I'd stay and help."

"It won't end well."

"Zero can protect me."

"Yes, he can. And it does this to him." Titan gestured to Zero's damaged body.

Aleda winced.

"It is as I said, milady. It is best that he has no distractions."

The door hissed open, and Shute jogged in with a wide, square object. "I have your sketchbook!" he called. Then, seeing beads of moisture in the corners of Aleda's eyescreens, he slowed, saying, "Hey, did something happen?"

Aleda shook her head. "No..."

Shute, swallowing back his curiosity, laid the sketchbook into Aleda's lap. "Well, here you go, Aleda."

"Thanks, Shute."

"No problem." Shute flashed her a sympathetic smile. "Just don't worry too much, okay? Everything will be fine." He pat Zero on the shoulderplate. "Get better soon, okay, Zero?" he said to the unconscious 'bot. Looking at the conscious Gundams in the room, he continued regretfully, "I have to go for now. Chief Haro says it's time for me to go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Forcing a brave smile, Aleda said, "See you."

"Farewell, young one," Titan said.

The boy gave a last wave to them before slipping beyond the sliding doors.

Titan laid back on the table, again, patiently waiting for their conversation to resume.

Aleda pulled her chair closer to Zero's table and spread open her sketchbook. A mechanical pencil popped into her hand, and she deliberately traced a new line.

When the waiting yielded no response, Titan spoke, "What are your thoughts, milady?"

The pencil's dance slowed. "I'm staying right here," she said firmly. "I'm not moving until he wakes up." The traces resumed, and Titan kept his silence.

...

"So, you haven't noticed anything unusual?" Chief Haro asked the Musha Gundam.

"Nothing we didn't already know," Baku said. "But, Titan could probably tell you more about that. And Zero, once he wakes up."

"I hope so." Chief Haro shifted. "Aleda, I know, has always been self-conscious about differences from her peers. Another unknown of this magnitude, depending on its true nature, could negatively impact her morale—even more than the current circumstances. I would like to know everything I can before I decide how to approach her." He raised his masked head. "Go bring Titan for me. And don't say anything about this to Aleda."

Baku bowed. "I understand, sir."

...

Baku sauntered in to find Bell Wood staring at a monitor of Zero's vitals and Kao Lyn spinning around Titan. "You're ready to go get some rest in a real bed," Kao Lyn said, beaming, to the bulky knight. "Your frame can easily repair the rest of the damages."

"Thank you." Titan lifted himself from the table with his flight boosters. "I will."

"Make sure to take it easy!"

"Hey!" Baku called out in greeting.

Aleda paused her sketch to offer him a small smile. "Hi, Baku." A hill and trees had taken shape on the page.

Titan lowered his heavy feet softly to the floor. "You should come and eat, milady," he said to the Lady Gundamess.

"Can I eat here, Chief Kao Lyn?" she immediately asked.

"I see no reason why not," the scientist answered.

"I'll bring you something to eat!" Baku offered.

"Thanks, Baku."

Titan huffed. "Hmph. Then, I shall remain, as well."

"You can't, because you have a debrief as an SDG member," Baku objected.

So it was with a protest and a frustrated growl that Titan reluctantly followed the Blazing Samurai out of Aleda's presence.

Aleda sighed into her hands once the door closed.

"He's very protective of you, isn't he?" Kao Lyn laughed as he flipped through Zero's vitals readouts on a touch screen.

"It kind of scares me."

"Really? He treats you as if you were his little sister," Kao Lyn's bobbing form said. "Why would that be scary?"

Aleda blinked between her fingers. "Like a sister?"

Bell Wood scoffed. "C'mon, you've got older siblings, right? Don't they look after ya, too?"

She raised her head. "They can be protective, but Titan's a little..." Her tired sideways glance told the rest for her.

Bell Wood shrugged, tapped a few buttons on the console, and then spun around on his heels. "Well, I'm outta here, Chief! I need some food, too! I'm gonna get myself an ice-cream sandwich!"

"Sure thing!" Kao Lyn beamed as the teen genius stalked out. He leaned over to Aleda and whispered, "He could use the extra weight."

In spite of herself, the Gundamess giggled.

...

"Why does Chief Haro wish to speak with me now?" Titan demanded as he stomped beside Baku. "Should I not guard Lady Aleda?"

"Captain's watching her. He doesn't know much about Lacroa or Ark, but he can see magic things. You can trust him to take care of her," Baku said.

"I will return after the briefing, then."

"If you want."

"No measure is too great when we face one who can summon a Sacred Beast of Lacroa."

"Spirits... Oh!" Baku pivoted as his brown eyes suddenly stirred with remembrance. "During the battle, Tallgeese was saying something to Zero about Summon Spirits!"

"Summon Spirits?"

"Yeah. He seems to think Aleda has a Summon Spirit.=!" At Baku's words, Titan jolted, causing the ceiling lights to catch a few green nodes within his worried eyes. "Captain overheard something like that. Do you know why?"

Titan blinked and shook his thick head to rid his confusion. "I don't understand. I have guarded her for fifteen years, and I have never seen any hint of a Summon Spirit."

"Could she have one?"

"No. It is impossible." Titan folded his arms. "Her magical capacity is too small."

Baku scratched a branch of the antler-like _maedate_ on his helmet. "Then why...?"

Titan scanned the floor for his answer. "Perhaps if he detected something..."

"Well, you should talk to Chief Haro about it. He's waiting for you."

"Yes, yes," Titan murmured distractedly. "I suppose I'll speak with Lady Aleda and Captain Gundam after, as well."

"No!" Baku hissed sharply. "You can't talk to Aleda about it!"

"Why not?"

"She has a lot on her mind, already." Baku waved his hand agitatedly—and instantly flinched and rubbed his shoulder.

"I see," Titan said. Then, peering at the Musha Gundam, he said, "Bakunetsumaru, I'll bring food to Lady Aleda after my briefing. You seem to require rest."

"I'm okay."

"Musha Gundams heal best through food and sleep, do they not? Take a rest. If Sir Zero's condition changes, then we will not forget to wake you."

Baku raised a digital eyebrow. "Alright, but I think she's getting tired of you hovering around her like a _ga_."

"'Ga'?" Titan echoed.

"Those winged night bugs that throw themselves into lamps." Baku waved his hands dismissively while he turned.

"...Did you just compare me to a moth?"

The selectively deaf Musha Gundam strolled towards the living quarters. "I'm gonna take a nap. I'm exhausted."

...

Captain Gundam exited the lab for another check on the block surrounding his charge. He walked, his scanners searching every wavelength to catch even the slightest irregularity. The only unusual thing he saw, though, was Kao Lyn rushing out of the lab. Captain stepped aside of the hasty scientist's path and watched him jump into a restroom. "Perhaps he is feeling ill," the Gundam commented after the door slammed shut.

Then, a low magical hum caught Captain's radar, and he rotated to see big-framed Titan floating towards the lab with a bag of bread, oranges, and apples in hand.

The energy readings matched those typical for Titan, so Captain prepared to turn again to his patrol, but Titan called out, "Captain Gundam!"

Captain paused. "Hm?"

Titan drifted his way. "I wanted to speak with you about Aleda."

"What is your specific inquiry?" Captain said, turning fully.

The Knight Gundam lowered onto the floor. "I have been informed that Tallgeese is targeting her because he believes that she has a Summon Spirit."

Without a blink, Captain said, "Yes, that is what I conclude from his own statements."

"It makes no sense that she would have a Summon Spirit, but it is even more ludicrous to suspect such a thing without some obvious sign." Titan's piercing eyes implored him. "Captain, you can detect magical energy. What do Lady Aleda's energy signatures reveal?"

"Her energy signature bears many similarities to those of Zero and yourself, because she also has magical capabilities. The differences I've attributed to the fact that she is a female."

"Is there any resemblance to the energy signature of a Spirit?"

"Yes, some. But, I have only observed Mmn, the Spirit Griffon, and the Feather Dragon. It is not enough to draw any definite correlations, and, since both Spirits and Lacroan Gundams originate from the Spirit Tree, some energy signature resemblance is to be expected."

"I see."

"None of my observations or readings have indicated that there is a separate entity accompanying Aleda," Captain said. "I do not know why Tallgeese has the impression that she has a Summon Spirit."

"And neither do I." The plastic bag slid down Titan's wrist as he cross his arms.

"I will continue to patrol for signs of intrusion until I need relief for recharge," Captain said. "Guneagle and the Gundivers 1 through 4 have been posted at other locations within the base, too, and GM patrols are increased. Tallgeese should not be able to enter unnoticed."

Titan raised an eyebrow. "Can you maintain your focus until nightfall?"

"Loss of focus due to boredom is not a problem for me. My wiring does not allow for that weakness."

"I see."

"Shute will return soon, too, so I will not be bored, either." Captain switched his eyescreens momentarily to a happy expression of two arched lines. "You should go see Aleda," he continued. "Her body is likely running low on energy, by now."

Titan bowed his head. "Then, please excuse me."

...

Buoyant Kao Lyn twirled around Zero like a fluttering _ga_. He bent over to peer at his patient's motionless form. "No change from our sleeping beauty," he observed. At the droop of Aleda's wings, he quickly amended, "Which means he hasn't gotten any worse! He's refueling and repairing!"

A listless nod answered him.

"Well," Kao Lyn said, wiggling between the table and a nearby divider wall, "I guess there's nothing left to do but to—" A loud abdominal rumble stopped him short. Aleda watched, with curiosity teetering on terror, as the scientist's belly shook like an angry beehive.

Kao Lyn chuckled embarrassedly. "Sorry! I'll be back!" And he bolted out the lab.

_I guess he's worried, too_, Aleda mused.

A bleep from her wing decal interrupted her thoughts. Before she had even considered whether she wanted to take the call, her finger had pressed the switch.

"Hi," Aleda began.

_"Aleda?" _came the concerned, soft voice of her mother.

"Hi, Mom."

_"Hi, Aleda! How are you, honey?"_

Aleda looked at Zero, and her lip quivered. "I... It's pretty hard, right now."

_"Are you still coming home?"_

"Huh?"

_"Via told us you were on your way home a few days ago, but we never heard from you when you'd be coming." _

Aleda blinked. "Oh. I changed my mind. I'm still okay here."

_"Oh. Are you sure?"_

"Yeah." Aleda closed her optical sensors. "I'm sorry."

_"You were saying it's 'hard,' though? Is everything okay?" _

Her frown deepened."No. My friend got hurt. But..." Aleda sucked in her breath to steady her tingly body. "I'll be fine. I have to stay here, so..."

_"Aleda?"_

"I have to go, Mom," Aleda murmured. "I love you." She clicked the trigger on her wing decal before Mary could answer. Somberly, she looked at her wounded knight. His slight breaths whispered in the silence, but otherwise he showed no outward signs of life. She reached out a hand, gently drew it across the side of Zero's face, then unclipped her mouthguard and briefly touched her lips to the side of his faceplate. "Don't go, Zero," she whispered. "I love you."

A waft of magic and the blip of flight boosters caused Aleda to raise her head. Titan stood by the door with a bagful of food. A hand shot to her mouth, and with her other she fumbled for her mouthguard. "O-Oh! Sorry, I didn't notice you!"

"I only came in a moment ago," Titan said. "I have brought you food in place of the Musha Gundam."

Aleda reapplied her mouthpiece, which hid her sigh of relief. "Oh…Well…Thanks for bringing everything. Here, I'll—"

"No need," Titan said as he floated to her. "I am gentleman enough to carry something for a lady."

"Okay…" Aleda reluctantly eased back into her chair.

Titan set the bag in her lap. "Do you need anything else, milady?" he asked.

"No, that's all. Thanks again, Titan."

"It is no trouble, milady."

Rustles echoed in the large room while Aleda extracted an orange and set the bag on the floor.

Titan remained, watching, as the girl pulled an edge of skin. Aleda's green eyes flicked occasionally to her guardian as, piece by piece, the peel fell off into her lap. She plucked a juicy crescent from the fruit core and, again glancing at Titan, pinched both sides of her mouthguard, unclasped it, slid the orange slice in, and chewed. Squish. Squish.

Titan finally blinked. "Oh. I forgot that it's rude to stare."

Aleda swallowed. "It's okay," she said, though with a squirm.

Titan shifted. "...May I keep vigil with you, milady?"

"Sure..."

He moved beside her and, causing a rustle when he pushed the bag and a clank when his leg armor bumped the floor, sat down. His shoulder armor clacked against the edge of a wing segment, which reflexively recoiled. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

The Knight Gundam settled and returned his eyes to the Gundamess, moving them from brown shadows to glimmers of green pixels in the glare of the bright lamps. Aleda continued to gaze at Zero's empty eyescreens while she munched. "You care much for him, don't you?" Titan said.

After another bite, she said softly, "Yeah. He protected me and told me what I am. I feel safe with him." She picked at a few yellowish skin flakes on the orange's surface. "I was always alone and scared, even with my family. I don't know how you stayed alone for fifteen years, without anyone."

"I moved from place to place, and I tried to stay away from most humans, but I spoke with people occasionally. That is how I met Chief Haro and Chief Kao Lyn." Titan brushed a crumb off his armguard. "Otherwise, I would have gone insane."

Aleda gulped down another orange slice, then asked, "Titan? What is Lacroa like?"

"The Winged Knight has told you about it, has he not?"

"Yeah, he did, but I want to hear what you say, too."

Titan rocked back to ease his posture. "I remember it as a beautiful, colorful land, though full of dangers as any other. My teacher August the Wild forbade me to wander out of doors at night, and sometimes knights had to hunt monsters to protect people and livestock."

"Um, I was wondering," Aleda said, "about the names. Zero is called 'the Winged Knight,' the leader of the Royal Knights is 'Rock of the Hot Sands,' and your master is 'August the Wild.' How do they get those names?"

"Titles are given upon knighthood, based upon the peculiar qualities or accomplishments of each knight."

"Oh. What's yours?" Aleda faced him, appearing, with half of the orange cupped in her hands, like an interested squirrel.

Titan smirked dryly. "I have none. My training was incomplete when the portal took us. I was never knighted."

Aleda's wings drooped. "Oh..."

"That is the least of my worries, now."

She raised her eyes shyly. "When you get back to Lacroa, I guess..."

"Perhaps." Titan reached into the bag and fished out an apple. When his mouthguard disappeared without him lifting a digit, Aleda raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know you could do that," she blurted.

Titan's mouth curled in a grin. "Of course. We have magic." He bit into the apple with a crisp crunch.

Aleda smiled and munched on the next slice.

...

Deep within a forest, miles from the urban center of Neotopia, Tallgeese gazed into a circular, purple-edged display floating in front of a tree. In the midst of the darkened forest lurked Vayeate and Mercurius.

Within the magical image loomed Deathscythe's crackly, wispy face. "We are still searching for the Feather Dragon in Lacroa," the ethereal being stated. "There is nothing unusual to report, Lord Tallgeese—well, that is, unless you consider the antics of your stubborn pet."

"What has Miku done, this time?" Tallgeese inquired. "You confiscated another weapon?"

"No, sire. She attempted to escape."

"Did she?" Tallgeese hummed dangerously. "That is disappointing. Keep an eye on her until I return."

"Yes, Lord Tallgeese."

Vayeate took a step forward. "Lord Tallgeese, are you going to—?"

"Vayeate," Tallgeese snapped, "I didn't say you could interrupt me!"

The aqua-blue Knight of Storms ducked into the shadows again with a quick "Apologies, milord."

Tallgeese returned to the magic screen. "Deathscythe," he uttered. "What do we know of the Four Sacred Beasts of Lacroa? Where are they?"

"The Griffon is with you, Lord Tallgeese, as you know. Aside from that, the other Four have gone into hiding since the battle at Lacroa Castle two years ago. I have searched for them, but Jormungandr, Unicorn, and Phoenix have not been found."

"None of them have made a contract with a warrior?" Tallgeese pressed. "Not even Phoenix?"

"The Phoenix became the Summon Spirit of Rock, Knight of the Hot Sands, during an attack on Lacroa Castle over twenty years ago. She has not been seen since. The greater concern is Feather Dragon, Zero the Winged Knight's Summon Spirit, which is at large in Lacroa."

Tallgeese shook his head. "The Phoenix is here, and I need another Summon Spirit in order to capture the Feather Dragon and to end all of my enemies' plans to retake Lacroa! I must find the enemy stronghold and snatch Phoenix from under their noses!"

Deathscythe's beady eyes blinked. "Are you saying you've seen the Sacred Beast Phoenix in Neotopia?"

"Indeed. When I merged with Griffon, my heightened senses allowed me to detect Spirit energy within a Gundamess, and Griffon recognized her particular scent for the Phoenix."

"But, that is impossible, my lord! My detection spells sense that she and the remaining Sacred Beasts are hidden in Lacroa."

"And yet, she is here." Tallgeese waved his hand, and the purple surface of the screen rippled and then smoothed to show Aleda's gold-edged form. "With this Gundamess. But, the Gundamess is inexperienced in combat. She should be easy to snatch up, if only I can get close enough!"

"With all due respect, Lord Tallgeese, even the Griffon and the Phoenix together could not stand against the might of the Feather Dragon."

"Well, then, what do you suggest?!" Tallgeese growled.

"There are two ways to overpower an enemy. One is with force, and the other with cunning."

Tallgeese turned his head for a birdlike sideways glance. "You have another way to capture Feather Dragon?"

"The Feather Dragon may show itself if lured out by the presence of someone familiar," Deathscythe said.

"Who do you have in mind as bait?"

"Zero would be ideal, but he is most likely terminated. Your Spirit-Gundamess, though..." A moving image of a white-and-gold Gundamess cradling a fluffy round Spirit shimmered in the circle. "This is a memory I extracted from one of my Pawn Leo scouts that I sent to Neotopia. Besides Zero, the Feather Dragon seemed most comfortable with that Lady Gundamess."

"I like that idea," Tallgeese purred.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

The first time I wrote this fic, I just added the new OCs appearing in this latter half of the story as I went. I would come to a point where I said to myself "I need a new character(s)" and then just whipped one up. Same with Miku. Her first mention originally was during her first meeting with a main character. I've tried to be more conscientious this time around to make it more fun to discover the new OCs. Unfortunately, I could only fit Miku in that much during this chapter, but I hope to bring her in fully, soon.

I enjoyed writing those little awkward moments between Titan and Aleda, especially the last one. :3 That aspect of Titan's background-him not achieving knighthood before being kidnapped-is something I've had in my head for a while, which is why I tried to avoid calling him a "knight" in previous chapters. Calling him a "Knight Gundam" I was more comfortable with, though, because I consider that a species/race name rather than a title.

Gundam biology note: I figure the cooling system makes the most sense as a mix of air cooling and liquid cooling. The breathing cools part of the components in a Gundam and the liquid coolant, so that the liquid coolant can then cool the parts that the air can't reach. I haven't explicitly described coolant leakage in the fic because the show only ever showed sparks, and my policy is to aim to show what is needed, not to aim to make the audience squirm. (Though that was borderline at the beginning of the chapter, wasn't it?) I myself am squeamish ("Does that meat have bones?" "Yes, it's a chicken leg." "Then, no thank you."), so I try to be sensitive.

I tried to make Zero's condition mesh with real electronics. Let me know if you noticed anything off.

I apologize if this chapter title is bad XD I had a better one picked out until I had to cut out the latter half. I'm open to suggestions to replace it.

Next chapter will likely be up late February or early March. I guess it depends on if there are more snow days XD

Thank you to everyone who's given me feedback/comments/reviews so far! I love hearing from you! :)

-Penelopi


	23. Vanishing Act

**Author's Notes**

I'm so sorry! It's been ages! My internship has been unbelievably busy! I was only able to put this up because it's the end of Spring Break. To make up for the wait, this is the longest chapter ever! (Or maybe you don't like longer chapters, in which case I deeply apologize).

Things get moving along again in this chapter, but it covers a whole lot of different things with different tones that I wanted to take special care to get right. I hope it turned out well :)

* * *

**Chapter 23: Vanishing Act**

A blond-haired man slipped off his coat and slung it on the rack nailed to the wall as he stepped in, then unraveled the red tie around his neck. The man sighed tiredly as he also looped the decorative ribbon on the peg.

The foyer opened to the cream-colored living room, where a brunette woman waited nestled in the corner of a couch, her jean legs curled beneath her as she frowned into a computer tablet screen. "Hey, honey," the man said, molding his weary face into an affectionate smile.

Upon hearing his footsteps, the woman looked up. "Hi, James," she said, smiling. "Was work alright?"

"Yeah, except for the meeting. Getting fed up with Sam. He cares more about his paycheck than about publishing honest results." He shook off his shoes, slid into the couch beside her, and curled an arm around her shoulders. "But, it was alright. What's wrong? You seem worried about something."

"Look at this." She briefly wagged the tablet to draw James's attention. A bird's eye view of a huge, rock-filled crater panned over the screen. "This was at Neotopia. At the park we used to go to."

"What happened?"

"There was an explosion. They haven't said what caused it."

"Alright...?"

"There have been a lot of scary accidents happening in Neotopia, lately," the woman said. "And I think Aleda might be involved in them." With a brush of her finger, another video came up, of the inside of a train station. "This was part of the news local to Neotopia."

_"Robot with horse pursues fembot in train station," _read the headline scroll at the bottom. The video showed a gold-glinting shape weaving through the crowd while a red form rapidly closed in.

"Look, it's Ally," Mary said.

James's jaw tightened. "Who's that going after her?"

"Not any mobile citizen I've seen before," Mary said. "It has eyes. Like her. This video was taken down from NeoTube minutes after it was posted, and the details have been cleaned from social media. I had to do some digging."

"Have you called her? Isn't she coming home, soon?"

"I tried calling Ally today, James, and she sounded strange." Mary's thin eyebrows creased in worry. "She said she wasn't coming home, anymore, and that a friend of hers got hurt."

James scowled. "I think we need to make a call to Kao Lyn to get this straightened out."

...

Morning found Aleda laying her head on Zero's shoulder, Titan sitting straight-backed against the operation table, and Kao Lyn cocooned in a sleeping bag on the floor opposite. Aleda's eyescreens blinked on, first, and Titan stirred at the noise when her helmet shifted against their wounded comrade. The bulky blue Knight Gundam smirked at the sight of the small Gundamess prying herself from Zero's frame. "What would you do if he woke to find you like that?" he chided.

Aleda flushed but mumbled stubbornly, "I'm not really worried about that, right now."

"I suppose not." Titan leaned back against the table. "You have much more to worry about. Such as what may happen if you remain here."

She blinked for a second to process, and then her shoulders slumped. "I'm kind of scared, but... I don't know where else to go. If they can sense my magic, then I can't really hide anywhere."

"I've hidden for fifteen years by moving from place to place." Titan shrugged. "It is not a pleasant life, I know, but it suffices."

"But, I think I can help more here," Aleda insisted. "Zero..." She looked at his sleeping face and bit her lip. "...he got hurt this time, but Baku said that we'd both get stronger if we were together."

Titan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"We, um..." Her head bowed as she directed her attention to fighting the butterflies in her energy processor. "We synchronize, sometimes..."

Titan frowned and searched his memory banks. A file opened, a recording from when he had spotted the two younger Lacroans surrounded by the fiends that, he'd been told, had ruined his homeland. Although he hadn't noticed at the time, the pair's GunSouls had both already been shining, and during Zero's duel with Tallgeese, the Winged Knight had only burned brighter.

"Baku said that if we spend more time together, we'll synchronize more, and both of us will get stronger, like Captain and Shute," Aleda volunteered with a blush. "I... owe it to him, don't I? He's saved my life, and he's the Chosen One, so..."

Crossing his arms, Titan grumbled, "I would hope that if you do choose to endanger the life he saved, that it would at least be out of more than mere obligation."

"I..." Aleda trailed off to formulate words. "It really is safer here. I can't go." An agitated snort escaped her guardian, prompting an apologetic, "Sorry, Titan."

Titan then sighed and shook his head. "No, you raise some fair points, young lady," he said, his arms unfolding. "I suppose if I was also unable to defend you in that last skirmish, then it is only for my own pride that I propose to protect you alone."

The Gundamess dropped her eyes.

"But, that doesn't mean that I believe yet in his abilities, either."

She tensed like a coiled spring. "_I_ do," she muttered.

A groan signaled a third person awake. Aleda instantly looked at Zero, but the Knight Gundam still hadn't stirred. An orange shape lifted on the other side of the table: Kao Lyn sat up in the cocoon of his bright sleeping bag, yawning so wide that his throat could be seen past his bushy mustache. His yin-yang glasses lazily swirled as he rotated to face the Gundams. "Still asleep?" he inquired.

"Yeah," Aleda said. "Is that bad?" She frowned.

"Not necessarily." Kao Lyn rolled to his feet, a wide orange burrito standing precariously, and the front peeled open from an inside zipper. Once the sleeping bag had been shucked and discarded on the floor like a banana peel, the scientist leaned over his patient. "Hm..." Pressing his ear to the robot's chest, he said, "He sounds a lot healthier! The fans are quieter, and there's no clicking! Good signs!"

The news brought a smile to Aleda's face. "Good. Thank you, Kao Lyn." She beamed at Zero's sleeping form.

Then, in marched a GM. "Titan?" he began as the Knight Gundam stood. "You are requested for patrol."

"If I must," Titan said. "Who will remain by Lady Aleda?"

"This unit will be posted by the door."

"Hmph." Titan began his heavy paces toward the exit. "Bring another three, and perhaps I'll feel better."

"Your complaint is noted."

Once her fussy protector had left, Aleda turned to the Gundam doctor with such a sour face that Kao Lyn laughed. "I can do nothing about it, sorry!" he said. "I can only fix up Gundams the best I can. Speaking of which, I need to go find some old scans on Titan. I want to compare his and Zero's systems to see if I can improve my repairing methods in the future!"

She bobbed her head. "Okay."

"Keep an eye on him, alright?" the scientist said with a wink.

"Sure," Aleda murmured with a shy smile at the floor.

"Alright, I'll be right back!" And he twirled out of her presence like a tornado.

Aleda slipped her hand into Zero's nearest one. "You can make it," she whispered. She noted that his hand felt cooler, closer to a healthy temperature for a machine. She smiled at the handsome face. Then, a yawn escaped her, and she eased her head onto the edge of the table, close to Zero's. _I'm still so tired... Maybe he'll wake up when I do... _

...

_"Is it ready, yet?" _

"Yes, Lord Tallgeese. Please be patient while I send it through the portal," Deathscythe's phantasmal form said into the purple-edged magical screen.

Deathscythe was conversing with his master in the throne room while a red-armored Gundamess stood behind him. Blue highlights on her frame glimmered in the half-light coming through tall stained-glass windows. Around her blue-edged feet crackled a bright green tether of energy. She wiggled in discomfort and impatience until a word from Deathscythe snagged her attention. "Miku."

"Yes, sir?" she ground out.

"You brought the card?"

"Yes." Turning her head disinterestedly, she held the small, flat object out, and Deathscythe's magic soon caught it up to float it to the magic circle.

"Here it is, my lord," Deathscythe rasped as the card passed through. "I had to modify an invisibility card in order to make the spell impenetrable to the eyes of that Gundam from the other dimension. It should get you safely in and out without anyone the wiser—that is, until they notice what you've taken." A ear-grating snicker followed.

On the other side, Tallgeese snatched up the card to study it. _"There is only one. Where are the others for Vayeate and Mercurius?" _

Miku's eyes slid to watch the exchange, and she turned up her audio sensitivity.

"It required an immense amount of magic in order to make it strong enough to fool the other-worlders," Deathscythe explained. "I only have enough for one, unless you would like to wait another week, my lord."

_"Hmph! I do not wish to wait. I myself will be enough to take a Gundamess from their base." _He nodded to someone off-screen. _"Take them back to Lacroa, then. They are useless for this mission if they are uncloaked. And ready yourself for my signal when I have her." _

"Very well." Deathscythe slid back as the red and blue knight brothers came into view of the portal. Seconds later, they parted the shining veil and stepped into Lacroa.

Miku's slim red-and-blue frame immediately caught Vayeate's attention. He stared for a moment at the magical shackles around her feet before his brother elbowed him. "Come on, brother! We haven't eaten anything but stolen bananas for the last two days, and I'm hungry!"

"Yes, I'm coming," Vayeate responded.

"Please take Miku with you," Deathscythe said to the knight pair. "Lord Tallgeese has ordered that she be watched, but I require my concentration to maintain the cross-dimensional magic."

Mercurius laughed, rattling his floating generators. "She sure wouldn't let anyone concentrate! We'll guard her for you, Deathscythe." He reached for the Gundamess, who jumped back only to trip over her shackles and fall.

Vayeate grabbed her arm before she hit the floor, and so she regained her feet while shooting a glare at each twin in turn. The blue one could feel her tension even through her armor. "Relax," Mercurius intoned. "We aren't the ones who are going to punish you for trying to escape. That will be Lord Tallgeese."

"I can walk fine on my own," Miku spat.

"Keep speaking, and I'll fix that," Mercurius retorted.

"Let's go eat, brother," Vayeate interjected. He wheeled, tugging Miku with him, and Mercurius, glowering at the Gundamess, followed.

As they passed through the tall arch of the throne room's entrance, Miku yanked her arm out of Vayeate's grip, though she still kept pace with her captors. That is, until Mercurius impatiently sped ahead. In only her hearing, Vayeate whispered, "You shouldn't have done that. Lord Tallgeese is in a bad mood, and he might acquire another Sacred Beast Spirit, today. Who knows what he can do to you?"

"I am well-aware," she growled. "But I am tired of this drawn-out game of his. I hope he finally sends me to the Dark Axis, this time. Unless you're going to help me, leave me alone."

The Knight of Storm jolted, then scowled and ground out, "Ungrateful as always," before flying ahead to meet his brother.

"Childish, as usual," Miku mumbled to herself. Behind her brown eyes burned a stubborn fire. _I'll try again. And even if he comes back with another prisoner, that'll just be another person I can rely on for help. I can do this. I'm going back to Ark. _

...

He ached. His chest, especially. What had happened, again? He had to get up for some reason he couldn't remember. He forced his eyes open: his foggy vision beheld distant but sharp bright lights. To alleviate his burning eyes, he turned his head, and then he could pick out a white shape. _Aleda! Is she injured?! _He groped his mind desperately for preceding events as he tried to prop himself up on his elbows. Pain exploded in his chest. "Gah!"

Aleda's eyes shot open, and she jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair in her haste. "Zero!" she shouted, joy flooding her face as she darted to his side. "You're awake!"

"Aleda…Agh!" Zero winced again and clutched his chest.

At the sight of his misery, her happiness quickly changed to concern. "Don't move!" Aleda ordered, placing a restraining hand on his arm. "You're hurt. Kao Lyn and Bell Wood had to weld you together."

"Welding?! Good Mana, no wonder I feel so…!" He broke off in a gasp of pain. The agony flushed the memories back to him: Tallgeese's attack, his threats towards Aleda, and the stab he himself had taken while trying to protect her.

Aleda pulled his arm away so she could reach his torso. "Hold still!" she urged as she placed her hands over the patch. The Knight Gundam held his breath to stop the shudders in his body while she worked. Aleda, closing her eyes, murmured, "Mana, source of life, please ease this kind knight's pain…" Her magic circle materialized overhead, and a cool blue glow emanated from behind the tarp.

Zero sighed as the tension left his gears. She muttered a few more words of the spell and then removed her hands.

The glowing died down. "It feels much better, already," Zero breathed. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do," Aleda said. She cast her gaze guiltily at the floor. "You saved my life, again, because—" The pull of a metal hand interrupted whatever self-deprecating comment was formulating in her processor. Leaning over the edge of the table in spite of his wound, her knight looped an arm around her and hugged her close. "Z-Zero?"

"Are you alright, Little Wing?" Zero said into her audio.

"Yeah, but you were...almost..." She squeezed her optics shut. Her quickened GunSoul thrummed in her audio receptors.

"That is no matter. He almost got you." His arm wrapped tighter. "I almost let him strike you. What kind of Royal Knight am I, failing to protect someone precious?"

Aleda's face warmed, and her eyes watered, and she slipped her arms around her knight. "Zero…" She buried her face in him, wishing to hear the reassuring hum of his GunSoul.

The hiss of sliding doors drew their attention to the entrance of the lab, where Kao Lyn darted in. The scientist skid to a stop for a moment upon witnessing the two Gundams in a close embrace, but then grinned and resumed his run. "You're awake!" he cried, twirling around them in a happy dance.

The bewildered couple blushed and stared while Kao Lyn bounced around them. "Y-Yes, I am," Zero said, his wide eyes tracking the scientist as he moved across the way to a set of drawers.

"Spectacular! Wonderful! Oh, but you lovebirds need to split up for a second!" Kao Lyn pulled out a rectangular, handheld scanner and somersaulted over to them.

Both cherry-red, they hastily scrambled to disentangle; Aleda plopped into her chair and stared at the floor, and Zero oh-so-innocently studied the lamp above him.

Heedlessly, the jovial scientist dove upon Zero. "Hm," Kao Lyn hummed as he passed the scanner over him. "The welding job we did is straining to stay together. You must have moved too suddenly when you woke up. Be careful from now on! But, your energy levels are holding. None of your energy lines have reopened. Aleda, good job immobilizing him! Keep it up!" Kao Lyn said with a wink and a thumbs-up, fanning the flush of red in the two Gundams' faces. Then, he continued, "Zero, sorry, but you'll be confined to bed for the next three weeks, at least."

Zero sighed, "Very well."

Aleda spoke up in concern, "He's not going to be staying here the whole time, is he? This surface is too hard."

"Oh, no, don't worry! After a few more tests, we'll set up some equipment in his room, and then he'll stay there." Kao Lyn karate-chopped the air and leaned forward over one knee, ending in a dramatic pose. "Hi-yah! How's that sound, Zero?"

"That is acceptable," Zero affirmed.

"Good. I'll get started right away!" The scientist wheeled.

As Kao Lyn sprang away towards his many racks of equipment, Aleda rubbed her finger along the edge of the table, and Zero surveyed the room. "I suppose I had to eventually end up in here, someday, to be equal to Bakunetsumaru and Captain." With a chuckle, he added, "Perhaps I should eat riceballs, too?"

Quietly, Aleda said, "You're really okay, right?"

Zero, losing his mirth, nodded. "Yes, Little Wing," he said softly, "If I have awoken even after such a deep wound, then I will recover."

"Thank goodness," she sighed. Her exhale seemed to let out all the energy that had sustained her composure; her body quaked. "I-I thought you were dying."

Immediately, Zero grasped her hand. "I am not dying," he assured her. "I promise."

But at his touch, his lady, shivering, stood from her chair to reach for him. Though hesitating a second out of surprise, Zero lifted a hand to support her as she clambered onto the table, and between his cautious movements and her shaky climb, they eventually both helped her reach his arms. Kao Lyn hummed deliberately loud, burying his face in a bin of assorted power cords, as the Gundams settled in a snug embrace.

Zero's hands locked behind Aleda's wings. Warm and steady, her GunSoul hummed beside his. There was no shining. At least, none that Zero could tell. But, the mere presence of his beloved was consoling.

"I'm sorry," Aleda blubbed, "It's my fault."

"Hush, Little Wing." Zero squeezed her close. "It is not your fault. Do not worry, anymore. I'm not leaving you alone." He held her as she trembled, saying again, "All is well." Comfortingly, he rubbed her back beneath her wings, until his warm hold soothed her and her shaking frame stilled.

At last, a shivering sigh released the remainder of her fretting, and Aleda, weakened by the long watch over her wounded love, sank further into Zero's embrace. "Shh, you are alright, milady," the knight continued to murmur. His shoulder was her pillow, and his arms her blanket. It was too comfortable for her exhausted mind to resist. Her eyescreens fuzzed as she began to doze.

Kao Lyn burst into their moment again, struggling with a pile of cords that fell over his arms and face, and Aleda jolted again to full wakefulness. "Okay, I'll go start putting things up in your room, and the tests are running, and we'll all be a-okay!" the scientist noisily announced. "Here I go! Let me know if you need anything! 'Bye!" He scurried out, trailing a few dangling cords as he went.

The door clacked shut, leaving the two alone, and they eased back into the quiet moment. Zero still held her. The Gundamess's audio receptor laid against the knight's chin, and her arms coiled tight around him. With a grace absent from the rest of her self-conscious mannerisms, her golden wings sloped down across her back, straight and lovely, lightly resting over Zero's arms. Her eyescreens fuzzed woozily. As the dust continued to clear from Zero's processor, a rising mix of awe and terror replaced his haziness, at what could be hidden in the beautiful frame he held. His hold tightened. "I'm sorry, Little Wing," he whispered. "I've failed you. Tallgeese has seen you, and now you are in danger."

"I don't understand," Aleda murmured. "How is...? Why is he after me?"

The Winged Knight paused. Any explanation he could give would expose something he didn't wish to bring to her attention. "I... think he meant to cause me distress by harming you." He slipped a hand out from under her wings to cradle the back of her helm. "I'm afraid. Very afraid, because he said he'd come after you, again."

"It'll be okay. Everyone can fight him off like before, right?" Aleda proposed. Sensing the serious turn of the conversation, she lifted her head to pull herself out of sleepiness.

"I will protect you, Little Wing. I will, no matter what." His jaw clenched behind his mouthguard. "Even if it ends in..." His eyes closed against the grim prediction.

This startled her fully awake. The Gundamess's lip quivered behind her faceplate, and her small fingers squeezed the folds of his bandages.

Softly, he said, "I'm sorry. Have I frightened you, milady?"

"Yes." Aleda nuzzled her face into his chest. "Zero, I…"

Zero waited for several breathless seconds, but at her silence, he prompted, "What is it, Little Wing?"

Unbeknownst to him, she was immersed in her memory banks.

_ "I understand what you feel, but..." _

"Milady?" Zero prompted again.

"…Nothing," she said. She leaned against him, pressing her audio against his shoulder, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Nothing."

Zero pondered her unspoken words, and the unknowns of her destiny, as he clung to her. _What should I do? What will save her from Tallgeese?_

...

An hour-and-a-half later, Zero was settled in his room, on his own soft bed, with the watchful sensors of the monitoring equipment to be his constant guardians. Aleda sat in a chair beside him. Kao Lyn, after a last check-over, had bounced out with a wink at the young Lacroans, leaving them alone with only each other and the fierce blushes under their faceplates.

"Milady, there is no need for you to stay with me for so long," Zero said. "You seem very tired. Please, won't you also rest?"

"I'm fine," Aleda said.

Zero curled his hand around hers. "The danger has passed. I'll be here tomorrow, Little Wing," he said softly.

She dropped her gaze. "O-Okay..."

Someone knocked at the door, jolting them. Growling at the disturbance, Zero grumbled, "Come in."

Baku ran inside. "Zero! You're awake!" But, he hesitated when his eyes caught the two's intertwined hands. "Uh… Hi, Aleda."

"Hi," she returned blithely.

"Uh... was I... interrupting...?"

"N-No!" Aleda jumped up, self-consciously jerking her hand from Zero's. "I was about to leave! To rest! Um..."

Another pair of metal feet marched in beside Baku. "Zero, I have come to check on your status," Captain announced. "How are you feeling?"

"I am feeling somewhat sore, but that is all," Zero answered. "Lady Aleda's healing magic eased much of the pain," he added with a grateful glance at the flustered Gundamess.

"I'm sure," Baku said with a wink.

Bright blue flashed behind Zero's vents, but before a bark of protest could escape, Captain spoke, "You seem to be fatigued, Aleda. Your energy levels are lower than usual. Are you going to recharge, soon?"

She quickly nodded. "Yeah," she said, "I'm about to."

"I can escort you to your quarters," the Neotopian offered.

"S-Sure."

"Thank you, Captain," Zero said.

"No problem."

As Captain began to move to the hallway, the knight spoke softly to his lady, "I am sorry that I am not well enough to guard you, myself, Little Wing."

Aleda flashed him a small, shy smile. "It's okay."

"Rest well, milady."

"You, too. See you later." She gave Zero's hand a last squeeze before flying out of the room.

Zero's gaze followed Aleda out, as his GunSoul also longed to. After her wingtips disappeared, he sighed.

Baku already had his attention locked on his Lacroan friend. "Come on, come on, tell me what happened!" he begged, dancing in excitement.

"What?" The knight blinked.

"Last time I talked to you, you were gonna tell Aleda how you felt! Well, how'd it go?"

Zero almost sighed again in the face of those sparkling brown eyes. "I... didn't get a chance to say it before Tallgeese attacked."

"Oh. But you told her after you woke up, right?"

"Kao Lyn was in the way," Zero grumbled.

"But, you had a bit of time after he set you up in here and left, right?"

"Two minutes, Baku. Two. Minutes. Before you and Captain came."

"Oh! Sorry," Baku said, scratching his helm.

"No harm done, my friend," Zero said with a brief smirk before pressing his lips into a grim line. "I am wondering if it is even still prudent for me to pursue her."

At that, the Blazing Samurai crossed his arms and glared down at him dangerously. "You _said_ you were going to tell her."

"I would have. But, Bakunetsumaru, something is very wrong. Tallgeese said that she had Spirit energy."

"So what? He's crazy. Absolutely bananas!" At that last crack, Baku guffawed.

"As clever as your humor might be, I do not think that is the case. He said that the Griffin recognized her, and..." Zero's eyescreens unfocused as they sifted through his memories. "...though I never told you, Fenn came to me in a dream. He said I could not let Aleda stay in Neotopia, because she smelled like something familiar to him..." As Baku watched with a furrowed brow, Zero's frame, though too subtly to notice aside from a faint rustle, shivered. "She must be the Sacred Beast Phoenix, Baku. That is the only way it makes sense."

"What? A Spirit?"

"There's no other possible explanation. Her magic is growing more quickly than any other wielded I've ever seen, and the Chiefs say she has a flame in her GunSoul."

Understanding flickered in Baku's brown eyes. "And she's good with fire..."

"Yes. It would also explain her wings." Zero shook his head despondently. "There's no other explanation. She must be the Phoenix."

Baku's eyescreen widened. "Wait, those ghost-Spirit-things can become Gundams?"

"There are legends that it has happened in the past."

The samurai shuddered. "I don't know how I feel about that."

"No one has seen the Phoenix for twenty years," Zero further mused, covering his eyescreens in dismay. "Oh, Mana, to think she's been here this whole time...!"

"Wait, so this means you don't want to be with her, anymore?" Baku said, his eyescreens drooping sadly.

The Winged Knight's shoulders sank. "I do still want her," he said almost as quietly as a whisper. His right hand closed around empty space, bidden by the memory of the Lady's warm hand. "Right now, all I want is to hold her and to protect her. And higher Spirits have taken other forms and found love with mortals before. But, while she is in the midst of the battle for Lacroa, she will be targeted for what she is, and I could do no more than shield her from one blow."

Baku narrowed his eyes. "So, in other words, you're scared."

"If it hadn't been for you and everyone else, Bakunetsumaru, my sacrifice would have been in vain," Zero explained. "I'm too weak to be entrusted with her." His own words drained the brightness of his eyescreens, dulling them to shallow grey. "She ought to be hidden until the end of the war, for her own safety."

The Musha Gundam snarled, "You're going to push her away? How will she feel? She's in love with you, Zero!"

"In spite of what sadness she may endure, she would have a much worse fate if Tallgeese reached her."

"You're the Savior of Lacroa, aren't you? You were entrusted with an entire country, so why can't you be trusted with this girl?!"

Zero ground his teeth behind his mouthguard. "I've failed my country. I lost Fenn, and I am still stranded in another world with nothing to show for the years that I have spent trying to rescue Lacroa. Even my victories against Tallgeese have been erased, as he has shown himself free, alive, and well. Tell me why I should deserve to guard a Sacred Beast!"

"But, you've held your own against him each time! You're going to win, Zero!"

"I don't deserve—"

At that, Baku socked him in the faceplate. "This isn't all about you! She's pining over you! It makes me sick that you can string her along like this and still call yourself a gentleman!"

Zero glared at the fist-bearing samurai while he unconsciously cradled his dented mouthguard.

"She wants you! How long are you going to make her cry by herself, Zero?"

"Once Lacroa is freed from Dark Axis and the danger is past, then, if she still loves me, then I'll tell her!" Zero insisted. "And not before!"

Baku stomped his foot. "Seriously, for Aleda's sake, just stop being stubborn and tell her! You coward!"

Furiousness ignited Zero as he raised his voice to match the samurai's. "How dare you! I can't endanger her! I couldn't live with myself if I lost her, too!"

The Blazing Samurai's enraged visage burned inches from Zero's face. "Zero, wake up! It's not your fault that Tallgeese is after her! If she really is the Phoenix, she's going to get involved no matter what! As the Savior of Lacroa, you _have_ to protect her!" He flailed his arms for emphasis. "You haveto protect her, or when Tallgeese tracks her down, she'll be all alone!"

"No!" Zero shook his head. "I always lose...!" He began to tremble, and the anger sapped from him as his body channeled it into welling tears. "I always..."

Baku grabbed his friend's shoulders. "Get a grip! You're not losing us, Zero!" he insisted. "You're not losing anyone else, especially not on this team! You have all of your friends who want to protect Aleda, too!"

Blue eyes lifted, widened by surprise.

"I swear by my honor as a Musha Gundam!" Baku declared. "I'll protect Aleda, too, because you are both my friends!" With each word, he roughly shook the Knight Gundam's shoulders, while he stared intently, as if daring the knight to challenge him. "You're not in this alone!" he insisted. "So, stop worrying! You can go love her, Zero!"

The Knight Gundam blinked. He opened and closed his mouth wordlessly. His CPU reprocessed the words. Then, he gulped back the wetness in his eyescreens.

Baku released him. "You do trust me, don't you?"

Though at first too moved for words, eventually Zero rubbed his face and said, "Bakunetsumaru, you are the truest of friends..."

Baku blushed and rubbed his helmet. "Ah, thanks. You're also a loyal comrade."

Gradually, Zero's breaths slowed and smoothed, and finally, he cleared his speakers and gathered his words. "Thank you. It puts my heart at ease to know that you are also guarding her."

"I really mean it, though. You have to tell her," Baku said.

"I know. I myself can barely stand to be apart from her."

"So, you're going to tell her next chance you get?"

Zero sighed. "I had wanted a peaceful and romantic setting, but yes, I ought to use the next opportunity."

"If it helps, having someone nearly die for you is pretty romantic, too." Baku winked. Then he looked the Winged Knight squarely in the eye. "But you'd better tell her soon, or I'll force you."

Zero scoffed, "Like you could force me to do anything."

"Oh, I could! I'd just tell her for you." Baku burst into a laugh at Zero's horrified stare.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Wanna try me?"

Zero crossed his arms. "Hmph! You have no consideration for romanticism!"

"I'm romantic when I need to be." Baku also crossed his arms, and he locked gazes with the knight. "But, I'm serious, Zero. You'd better tell her. I know what it's like to wait too long and then regret it. I lost my first love, and to this day I still wish I'd said something."

Zero's snide grin wavered and, as he searched Baku's face and found it had dropped all semblance of a joking smile, slipped off altogether. "Wait... you're serious?"

"Yeah." Baku averted his gaze. "My master and my family used to serve a small noble family before Kibaomaru came along. The shogun had a daughter near my age, and my little sister played with her all the time. Hime-sama was graceful and strong, with eyes sharp as a dragon. But, I was still only a youth with no name for myself, so I never told her how I felt. Then Kibaomaru attacked our small land, killed my master and the shogun, and kidnapped many of the Gundamesses in the castle, including my sister and hime-sama."

Zero averted his eyes from the samurai's grim face. "Oh, Mana. I'm sorry, Baku..."

"That is why I know that it's not worth it to wait to say something, because after she's gone, you'll always wish she'd known."

"I see," the knight murmured guiltily.

"So, you _will _tell her, right?" Baku narrowed his eyescreens.

Zero sighed. "Yes, I promise I will." Slowly, he slid down to lay his head on the pillow. "But first, as Lady Aleda is sleeping, let me also rest so I may heal."

"Sure. See you later, you hopeless romantic."

"Rude simpleton," the Knight Gundam retorted as the samurai started for the door. He momentarily reactivated his eyescreens. "Baku?"

Baku's footsteps paused. "Yeah?"

"What were the names? Of your sister and your princess?"

"Amane-hime was my princess, and my sister was named Miku."

"Let us search for them, as well, when we return to our dimension."

Though hidden by the back of his helmet, the Musha Gundam's smirk could be heard in the softness of his voice. "Thank you, my friend."

...

A cloud in the sky broiled and whipped around an ascending unseen shape. A low hum followed the invisible being, but it quieted when the creature slowed under another flying form screaming overhead. Excited whoops of the SDG's most energetic member carried over the clouds. "Hm..." hummed a deep, throaty voice. "One of the Gundams. Where could he be going, I wonder?"

...

Guneagle righted and angled his jets to slow as he neared a finger of White Base. Once over the runway, he glided, decelerated to a hover, and touched down, wings flared and feet grabbing the flat surface like his avian namesake. The flier walked towards a crew of white-uniformed SDG staff waiting at the end of the runway.

"Hey!" he called, raising a hand in greeting. "How's it, guys? Anything new? I got nothing on patrol." His clunking steps and boisterous shouts drowned out a trailing hiss of breath behind him.

After a few pokes and prods for initial checkup, Guneagle followed them into the hangar door, subtly-not-so-subtly relating the tight turn radius that he had used during his rounds. Suddenly, he whipped his helm to the side.

"What is it?" one of the staff asked while his eyescreens searched the inside walls of the hangar.

"I felt something touch me," Guneagle answered.

"'Touch'?"

Guneagle snapped his visor over his eyes, but the light blue tint still revealed nothing. "My sensors say nothing was there to touch me, but they also say something touched me." Guneagle blinked as his visor retracted. "A fabric and an atmospheric disturbance. Like a big... coat-tail, or cape, or something..."

"Let's get you to see Chief Kao Lyn so he can check your sensors. It might be a glitch."

"I guess..."

They entered the docks with its many shifting platforms carrying Gunperrys and mobile citizen support equipment, and its huge number of robot and human staff. A tiny blip turned a couple of heads among the mobile citizens, but they spotted nothing. On the other side of the hangar, a human SDG member passed through the doors to the main halls, unknowingly letting in their visitor. She continued unawares, passing several intersections on the way to her station.

Five-hundred feet back, around the corner, a low chuckle sounded. "Almost too easy. Now, to find you, Phoenix..."

...

"Why is no one watching her?" Titan stared down Bakunetsumaru and Captain. Though more specifically Baku, the one capable of making rash judgments.

Said Musha Gundam boldly met him with his own unblinking glare and crossed his arms. "She's five doors down. I'll go back in to check on her in a little bit. Aleda is perfectly safe."

"No, I'll go. She needs a more diligent guard," Titan glowered.

"I can protect her just fine, and don't forget that she's with Zero, who's also really strong," Baku said.

"Who also nearly died, yesterday. He's in no shape to protect her." The bulkier Gundam shoved past, quipping, "It is not the time to be playing matchmaker, Arkian!"

Baku grabbed his shoulder. "Come on, just give them a few minutes!" he pleaded. "They really need to talk!"

Titan growled and set his sights on the Neotopian among them. "Captain Gundam, ought I not ensure that someone is always by my charge's side?"

"I..." Captain's eyes averted. "... am concerned for Aleda's safety, but I am also concerned that your energy levels are depleting from lack of rest. Your time may be better spent recharging while Bakunetsumaru, Zero, and I take a turn to watch over Aleda."

Titan wheeled around fully. "What conspiracy is this?!"

"There is no conspiracy," Captain began.

As the three Gundam argued, an unseen form brushed against the door to Zero's room. A glimmer flashed for only an instant. Captain Gundam's eyescreens honed in. "What is that?"

The other two wheeled. "What is what?!" Baku demanded.

Captain's scanners searched, but nothing appeared in his UI, not even when analyzing the infrared waves passing through Zero's room. The only thing in there was the two Lacroan Gundams, the larger one tracing the chin of the smaller winged one, their faces inches apart. "It was nothing. A glitch in my scanners, perhaps," Captain said. "There is not even anything odd in my memory."

"I'm going—"

"Titan, please go rest," Captain interjected. "Your energy levels are below 50%. You cannot properly defend Aleda in your current condition."

The Knight Gundam's fuzzy hazel eyes bore into him, until finally he spat, "Fine," and turned and stomped away.

...

Chief Haro sat in his chair, reviewing a data pad of reports: Zero's recovery progress—or at least all possible data they could gather to try to assess it—was currently under his scrutiny. The masked man sighed in relief. "He's awake, good. Aleda's healing magic seems to have worked well. It's good that she stayed with us." He slumped back in his chair. "Though, I still worry about those two..." Internally, he groaned at the thought of the Gundam Force increasing in ways other than purposeful recruitment. "...We certainly don't need that under these circumstances..."

A bleep from the phone on his desk interrupted his thoughts. Chief Haro raised it to his mask's ear. "Yes?"

_"Chief Haro, sir," _came Juli's voice, _"there is someone on the line for you. A Dr. James Vaughn." _

Unseen by the operator, Chief Haro's mask ears flapped in surprise. "Did you say 'Vaughn'?!"

_"Yes, sir." _

"I suppose there is no helping it, now..."

_"Is there something wrong, sir?" _

"Nothing horribly wrong. Put him through."

_"Yes, sir." _

Silence came over the phone, then crackling, and finally a male voice. _Hello? Chief Haro?" _

"Yes, I'm here. This is Dr. Vaughn?" Haro tapped his finger on the desk.

_"Yes. I don't know if you remember me, but my family was involved in research by Dr. Kao Lyn about a decade ago. I tried calling Dr. Kao Lyn, but your receptionist says he's unavailable."_

"That is correct. He's tending to an emergency, right now. What can I help you with?"

_"Is my daughter Aleda there with you, Chief Haro?" _

The chief curled his fingers around the end of his armrest. "... Yes, sir. She voluntarily sought us out, and we thought it in everyone's best interests to welcome her."

_"What have you gotten her involved in? You never asked us if this was for her best interests," _James demanded.

"From what we understood, you had allowed her to investigate her origins on her own, and because she is a mobile citizen who has not been manufactured nor purchased by any entity in Neotopia, there was no reason for us to expect a legal obligation for Aleda to receive your permission for anything."

_"That sounds like a poor excuse to get what you want, Chief," _James ground out.

"It was for her emotional security and her safety, not for us," Chief Haro insisted. "We were not about to let a child, even a Gundam one, wander into danger on her own. If you'll let me explain—"

_ "Explain what? Why she was chased down by another robot in the train station when she was trying to come home?" _

Chief Haro clenched his armrest. "There is a misunderstanding about that incident. She had a fight with another one of our mobile citizen members, and so at that moment she wanted to leave. That was her friend, trying to convince her to stay."

_"She looked like she was trying to run away from him." _

"That friend... doesn't have much tact."

_"I'm also alarmed by his appearance. He wasn't a normal mobile citizen. Are you keeping my daughter so that you can make more prototypes?" _

"No, sir! Actually, we have—"

A blaring alarm cut into the conversation. _"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" _the loudspeaker blared.

Juli's voice came next: _"Chief!" _

_ "What?" _James called on the other side.

Haro cupped the speaker of his phone. "Status report!" he called.

_"Intruder decloaked in the residential sector, sir! Zero's quarters! The energy signature matches Tallgeese!" _

Chief Haro bolted to his feet. "Send Captain, Bakunetsumaru, Guneagle, and all GM units in immediately!"

_"What about Gunbike and the Gundivers, sir?" _

"Gunbike can't fit in the hall, and the Gundivers are poorly equipped for non-marine combat!" He strode toward the door. "Our first priority is to protect Gundam Force members Zero and Aleda! Surround the intruder, get between him and Zero, and take Aleda to a secure location!"

_"Sir, Aleda is also with Zero!"_

The ears flapped in shock. "What?!"

The phone in his hand buzzed. _"What's going on?!" _

Chief Haro whipped the receiver back under his mask mouth. "I have to go. There's an emergency."

_"Wai—!"_

He clicked, and it silenced. With a toss, the phone clunked on his desk, and the SDG leader ran to the command deck.

...

After a three-hour nap and an awkward talk with a nosey Arkian escort, Aleda was happy to be sitting in Zero's chair by his bedside.

And Zero was happy, too. "I'm relieved to have them returned to their proper place," he said, referring to his helmet and torso armor. He fingered the wing decals on the side of his helm. "It makes me feel almost fully recovered. I felt so bare and exposed."

"Well, I thought you looked... nice," Aleda said as casually as she could muster—which is to say that it wasn't casual at all. She glanced down abashedly.

"'Nice'?" Zero repeated.

"Your helmet is elegant, and it fits you well, but…it hides so much of your face." She blushed.

"Is my face so pleasing to you?" Zero said teasingly. "Then perhaps I can show it more often for you. But for now, if you don't mind, I'll keep this on my head for my own comfort."

Aleda, twiddling her fingers, nodded. Then, she murmured hesitantly, "Zero?"

"Yes, milady?"

"We never got to..." Her eyes dodged, again. "... talk about the important thing before Tallgeese came." Butterflies attacked her energy processor and GunSoul, but still she forced herself to ask, "What did you want to talk about?"

While she wasn't looking, Zero closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts and fight the nervousness rising in his core. "I wanted to talk about... after the war, milady." He opened his eyes. "After the Dark Axis has fallen. I know that you wish to see Lacroa. But what..." His voice dipped nearly into silence as he delicately asked, "...what will you do after you have seen your homeland? After the war has ended? Where will you stay?"

Aleda paused for a moment, and then spoke contemplatively, "When I left home to find out where I came from, I thought I would live in my home dimension. At least for a while. I didn't really want to be separated from my family forever, but I knew that once I left Neotopia, I might never get back…"

"It was difficult to reach this dimension, but travel is possible." His blue gaze sank. "Do you then intend to return to Earth after you have seen Lacroa?"

"I, um, well..." she fingered the Lacroan crest on her skirt piece. "I think I would like to live with other Gundams like me. Or at least try to, y'know?"

His GunSoul buzzed. "Then you'll stay with—er, in Lacroa?" The knight said, his words almost tumbling into a clumsy stammer at the heartening news.

"I would like to. But, where would I go in Lacroa?"

"You could come to Lacroa Castle." For a second, he paused to swallow down his eagerness and recollect his voice. "...A lady who has tended so well to our band of warriors would be welcome in the castle."

"I could... stay... with you?"

Zero nodded. "Yes, Little Wing."

Her emerald eyes shone more brightly than he had ever seen, as did her GunSoul. "I...If you're there, then I'll be happy."

_Oh, Mana, she's beautiful, _Zero thought in awe. He noticed his lady glancing down at her shining GunSoul in surprise, and he could tell from the burning brightness in his heart his own was alight, as well."Aleda…" Zero cupped her cheek, drawing her light green eyes back so he could lovingly gaze into them. "That is what you wish? To live in Lacroa? ...With me?"

Aleda gaped, then smiled and nodded. Her hand grasped the one on her cheek.

"Then after Lacroa is restored to life, we shall return there together. I'll take you to the Majesties and Princess Rele, and surely they'll allow you to stay in the castle. I'll be there with you every day, to teach you and to guard you, my…" His voice caught on the potent word, which stuck in his throat. Though Aleda poised her audio receptors to hear, Zero dropped that last word in favor of, "...What say you, Little Wing?"

Aleda, face flushed and eyescreens misting, whispered, "Yes."

Zero slipped an arm around her waist and drew her nearer, and his other hand slid down her face. As Zero gently tugged her chin up, both Lacroans leaned in, their eyes drifting closed. _My friends are with me. I can love her__, _he mantraed to himself. The words sank into his GunSoul, saturating it like oil in a lamp, and his passion set it aflame with heart-bursting joy. _I can make her happy...!_

Aleda waited for a long moment, breath held, heart abuzz, her sensors primed to perceive every sound and touch from her knight, from the gentle cradle of his fingers on her cheeks to the quietest hum of his GunSoul. His hand reached for something on her face. She had pictured it a million times, how two Gundams might kiss, if the armor over the face were first removed...

But just before Zero could reach the clasp to her mouthguard, an eerily familiar voice interrupted them. "You'll go to Lacroa, Lady, but I am afraid not quite the way you thought."

The two Gundams tore away from each other while the tall form of the white Knight of the Tempest shimmered into existence at the foot of Zero's bed. "Surprised?" Tallgeese laughed.

Zero glared. "Tallgeese! How did you get in?!"

Tallgeese held a card in his hand triumphantly. "A Pawn Leo made a little donation," he said. He took a step forward, and gold talons flashed over his feet. Claws grew across his arms. "And, you know what I'm here for."

A loud wail rang, causing Tallgeese to lift his eyes to the speakers embedded in the ceiling for a second. "Oh, the alarm." He whipped around and, with a wave of his hand, golden feathers stabbed the door lock, leaving nothing more than a shattered, smoking box. "That'll buy me plenty of time."

Even before Tallgeese had resumed his pace, Zero had swung out of bed to stand between Aleda and danger. The Knight Gundam grunted at a sharp prick in his chest. "Zero, your wounds!" Aleda protested in vain.

He swayed in front of her. "Oh, Mana!" Zero's magic circle bloomed.

But, his raised hand couldn't reach the Vatras Sword before Tallgeese flew in and swept him aside. Crack! Zero slid down the dented wall with three new scrapes across his torso.

"Zero!" Aleda sprang.

Tallgeese bared a claw and flung ethereal orange extensions at his victim. "Say your prayers, Winged Knight!"

Zero, on his hands and knees, raised an armguard to shield himself.

The roar of flame sounded, followed by the roar of Tallgeese. Zero looked up to see the enemy knight curled inside a globe of flames. Aleda, though trembling, held both hands outstretched to pour forth her full fiery fury. "Aleda—run!" Zero shouted.

Within the fire, purple-ish red eyes gleamed, and with a flap of golden wings, the flames were blown out. "Not as powerful as I expected!" Red-and-black arcs whizzed.

"Ack!" One, then the other, snapped in place; Aleda flailed against the ridged Semicircle Claws pinning her to the wall.

"Aleda!" Zero screeched. Gathering his weak magical reserves in his flight boosters, he flew at the assailant. Clang! He dropped at Tallgeese's feet, reeling from a blow to the head.

_"_"Zero!" Another fierce blaze exploded from Aleda, burning her bonds to ashes. But, just as she raised her hand to summon her rapier, Tallgeese stepped on the fallen knight's arm. She hesitated. Her foe, his pupil-less eyes never once leaving her, leaned down and pressed one set of claws against the panting Knight Gundam's chin.

"Although I am disappointed at the relatively poor display of your strength, it seems that you still have enough power to give my Griffin some trouble, Phoenix," Tallgeese rumbled. "So, I kindly ask that you cooperate with me."

She lowered her arm uncertainly. "Phoenix?"

_"Open the door, ugly duckling!" _Baku's muffled voice yelled from the other side of the locked door.

Tallgeese ignored the muted demand in favor of Aleda's question. "Has your memory left you as well as your powers, Sacred Beast? Your last regeneration must have been difficult." Zero thrashed, only for Tallgeese to jab him. "Stay still!" he warned the Royal Knight.

Zero croaked at the shallow puncture in his chin. Aleda's wings quivered, but Tallgeese wagged a finger. "Uh-uh-uh~ You stay where you are, sweetheart. I see that you don't understand what I'm saying, but that's alright. All you need to know is that if you don't come with me, I'll skewer the Knight Gundam, and you can watch him die in the most torturous ways I can imagine."

"Don't!" Zero writhed against Tallgeese's foot until he felt another warning prick at his neck.

"If you come peaceably, I will let him live—for today," Tallgeese continued.

"Don't trust a thing he says!" Zero called desperately, his blue eyes wide with the future horrors playing before his processor. "Run, Aleda! Please!" _I am already lost! Go! _

Aleda beheld Zero's predicament, her face twisted by the pain in her GunSoul and her frame tingling from the surge of fear through her circuits. Tallgeese's cold, red eyes sent her knee joints knocking. But, Zero's labored breaths threatened the function of her own coolant system. Her knight's blue eyes pleaded, but the golden claws glinted... She stepped forward, wings folded. "I'll do what you want," she said.

"No!" Zero shouted, and he grabbed Tallgeese's forearm, his hands gleaming with a hasty spell-cast. Sizzling sounds rose simultaneously with a burning scent.

The Knight of the Tempest growled but effortlessly shoved Zero's head into the floor. Aleda keeled over as if she were the one under abuse. "Stop!" she cried.

Zero coughed and pulled at the hand on his throat. With a sneer into the defiant glare of his struggling victim, Tallgeese turned his eye to the spectating Gundamess. "You were saying?"

"I surrender. Don't hurt him, anymore," she whimpered.

"Wise decision, young lady. Hold still, then."

Aleda's watering eyes widened at a flurry of golden feathers. She squeaked in surprise as the projectiles glued themselves to her wings and encircled her arms, binding her.

"Aleda!" Zero shrieked.

The next second, Tallgeese snapped his fingers, and the feathers glowed, instantly sapping the light from her frightened eyes. She collapsed and thunked her head hard on the floor.

"No!" Zero again wriggled futilely against the iron grip. His hand grasped for his precious lady, though it merely closed the gap by a couple of feet. Too short and weak to touch her. "Let her go!" he demanded.

"I'm afraid I can't. She has something I want." Tallgeese leered like a gloating goose. "I'm sorry you grew so fond of her."

Zero stared at the unconscious form of his beloved, bound and fallen like a netted sparrow, and his GunSoul twisted near to breaking. "Please. Destroy me if you must, but let her go!" he pleaded. _Please, Mana, don't do this to me!_

"Oh, I will destroy you, don't worry." Tallgeese raised his claw. "But, she is still my captive. Perish, Winged Knight, knowing that you failed to protect anything!"

The sharp blades fell. Zero flinched.

A crash and a laser beam rang in Zero's audios. Tallgeese recoiled, and Zero lowered his arm to see a flash of red closing in. The tall intruder of White Base ducked, then swerved, then pulled back to avoid the quick flashes of dual katana. Bakunetsumaru stood himself between the enemy and his weakened friends. In the busted entrance, Captain eyed Tallgeese through his green scanner piece and his rifle scope.

While the enemy was occupied, Zero rolled over to crawl toward his lady. "I'm coming, Aleda, hold on...!"

"I have special dispensation—" Captain began before a golden feather whizzed into his scanner piece. Crack! The tip cracked through the lens and into Captain's eyescreen.

A hurl slammed Baku into the weakened wall and smashed him through to the other side.

Zero's fingertips brushed the edge of Aleda's V-fin, and he moved to draw her into his arms. But then, a rush of wings and gold swooped in front of him, snatched the Gundamess in his talons, and flew. The knight's hand grasped empty air. "No!"

Captain hadn't stopped stumbling before a heavy wing clipped him. "Out of the way, rats!" The Gundam tumbled, and Tallgeese dashed through the demolished doorway. With Aleda.

Panic clutched the Winged Knight's heart. "Aleda...!" Zero mustered the last of his energy to lift himself into the air and materialize his sword and shield into his hands. Baku's groan drifted into hearing, and Captain's gears whined as he tried to stand. Zero wobbled toward the hall.

A loud war cry rang, accompanied by rapid bleeps of closing flight boosters. Titan barreled past the giant hole; wild green had flared forth from the hazel mix of his eyes. When Tallgeese wheeled to lash with his armguard claws, Titan rammed straight into him, shield-first. His huge bulk pressed, and his flight boosters whined and strained, while Tallgeese held steady. Titan raised his other arm to bash the intruder with a second shield.

"I wouldn't," Tallgeese quickly interjected with a shake of the limp frame in his arm, "if you don't want to accidentally—"

But he'd already swung—thwack! Tallgeese reeled, cradling his aching CPU with his free hand.

Zero hovered at the hole in his door for one second, enough to see the disoriented kidnapper and to exchange a glance with Titan. "Oh, Mana!" he raised his sword to cast a sizzling corral of energy lines around Tallgeese.

The golden-winged robot straightened, cocked his crested helm, and sized up the barrier. Then, he snapped his wings and clipped through the magical cage like a knife slicing through butter. "You thought you could trap me, Winged Knight?" he taunted.

Said knight held a glare with him while rapid clunks neared from behind: Titan spread his arms for a bear-crush on Tallgeese's other side.

"And you thought you could trick me, too!" Suddenly, the elongated orange energy claws whipped at the attempted ambusher.

"Titan!" Zero cried in concern.

The claws ground against the two shields in Titan's hands, and while the Knight Gundam braced himself against them, he started to slide toward the side of the narrow hallway.

Captain and Baku leapt into the hall on either side of Zero. The first rolled immediately into the fray while Baku paused to spit out crumbled pieces of wall. "Gack, concrete—" Then, Baku turned his attention to the chaotic dance of wings and magic and sparks in the residential hall. "Zero, what's going on?!"

"Aleda! Tallgeese... urk!" Zero gasped, curling inward for a moment as pain spiked through his chest. "...He has Aleda!"

Baku's eyes narrowed. "Okay, got it! One fried goose, coming up!" The samurai's swords whistled as he rushed in.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Sorry for the cliffhanger! It was getting too long, and if I'd kept going, this chapter would never have been done XD You'll have to find out the result of Tallgeese's infiltration next chapter.

I hope I got Tallgeese alright, here. I tried to make him strong, but at the same time I didn't want him creaming the whole base. And I know we could all see it coming when Tallgeese planned to off Zero whether or not Aleda chose to go with him (just rewatch episode 11). Aleda knew, too, though, that that's what Tallgeese was likely to do. She was just willing to take the risk, anyways, on even the chance that Tallgeese would feel generous or that she'd earn enough time for their friends to come help. She just couldn't give up on Zero.

Update schedule is pretty... up in the air. I'm going into my independent teaching, meaning I'm going to be even busier, and I could possibly go for longer than the other interns so that I can meet my MT's expectations and my 20-day independent teaching requirement. It's going to be either hell or fun or both. -_- I'll be done by the middle of May, though, for better or for worse, so expect that the next chapter won't come out later than the beginning of June. So sorry for the long wait, guys. I just really gotta put this rl concern first.

I do still check in to see any comments, faves, and the like, though, so feel free to say something. It always cheers me up to hear your reactions to my stories ^^ Were the sappy moments sappy? Were the action moments exciting? What do you think's gonna happen next? Let me know!

Until next time!

-Penelopi


	24. Vanishing Act Part 2

**Author's Notes**

Hey, all! It's been a while. I'm so glad to be back to writing regularly! This chapter is, sorry, again pretty long. Next one I hope to keep shorter and to post a bit sooner, at the beginning of June. Good irl news: I passed my internship and graduated! :D Now, I'm job-hunting and also helping out/teaching a bit in a 2nd grade class because a classmate's mentor teacher offered to give me more experience. I'm liking 2nd grade a lot more. It's far more flexible and relaxed. I'm able to actually have one-on-one time with students to help them with their assignments. My confidence in my teaching abilities is rising, so I feel much more prepared to be a teacher now than I did at the end of my rather rough internship. For the fall, I hope to be a teacher assistant or librarian, because I like the one-on-one more than managing a whole classroom XD

Anyways, back to the fic, this chapter introduces 5 new characters. I apologize that there are so many all at once X) I tried to introduce them slowly enough so that it won't be overwhelming ('cause I hate it when there are too many new characters and I'm expected to remember how they look after just one instance of description. Like no, you have to remind me!). I'll be sure to review their appearances again next chapter to help refresh your memory without making you flip back to this chap. Let me know how it goes!

**Copyright Info**

This fanfic is based on the SD Gundam Force series by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, James Vaughn, Miku, Lady Opal, Ace, Amane, Papillon, and Calypso. All other characters and settings were made by Bandai and Sunrise.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Vanishing Act Part 2**

"One fried goose, coming up!" Baku charged in, his katana in each hand. "Ten-kyo—!"

"Not so fast!" Tallgeese hoisted Aleda's limp frame and poised a claw over her GunSoul. Baku jerked to a stop, his katana raised in mid-slash. "You wouldn't want to burn this poor little Gundamess, would you?"

Captain arrested his finger over his rifle's trigger, and Titan stopped his lunge.

Baku's frame shook with the urge to stab that smug face. "Coward!" he spat.

Light but metal footfalls approached, and in came running Guneagle from another hall. As soon as he spotted the intruder, he fired his beam rifle. Tallgeese twisted, and the shots landed in the ceiling, walls, and floor instead. One came dangerously close to Zero's head. But it wasn't until a beam grazed past Tallgeese's arm that the young knight yelled, "Stop!"

"Guneagle, he has a hostage!" Captain shouted.

"What?" the rookie said.

Tallgeese barreled through, slamming Guneagle into the wall. "Ow, that's gonna leave a mark," the flier complained. But he quickly righted himself. "Hey, you! Get back here!" He activated his thrusters and chased after Tallgeese's retreating form. But, the end of the hall rapidly approached. Tallgeese easily turned the corner with his magical flight boosters, but Guneagle could only screech in panic as he crashed into the wall. Then, the flier dragged himself out of the hole and the rubble, groaning and displaying a swirling dizzy emote in his eyescreens, while three Gundams rushed past in pursuit.

"Chief Kao Lyn said not to use thrusters in the hall," Captain stated as he jogged past the fallen mecha.

"…Thanks a lot, Cap," Guneagle moaned.

As the others rounded the corner, Titan called behind him, "Hurry!"

Zero, the object of his exhortation, was floating after them with a wobbly trajectory and a shaking frame. "Don't wait for me!" the younger panted. "Save her!"

Titan gladly followed his advice: with a whip of his cape, he darted on. Soon, he discovered Captain and Baku standing in a four-way intersection.

"Where's Tallgeese?" Titan demanded.

"I don't know," Captain said, for once using his wide-eyed surprised emote. "He…vanished."

"He literally disappeared right in front of us!" Baku added. "You can't see him, Captain?"

The Neotopian Gundam turned to show him the cracked green lens dangling over his eye. "He evaded my scanners before, and even if I could normally detect him, my scanner is broken."

"Then we split up and search." Titan turned down one branch. "He's in a hurry! We can find him when he makes a careless mistake!"

"Your plan is sound." Captain jogged straight ahead.

Baku sped down the remaining path. His audio receptors listened for any hint of his foe... Was that the putter of Lacroan flight boosters? He followed his senses to the nearest bend. The sounds kept just out of reach of his visual range, and they were so quiet that other SDG staff on the way could not hear them. "Hey, he's coming your way!" Baku shouted to a pair of GMs standing with rifles at the ready.

The two scanned back and forth to spot the foe, and Baku swore under his breath. "He's invisible! Grab him!" he shouted.

The GMs swiped blindly at the air, but the flight booster blips zipped over and around them. "Rats!" the samurai spat. To the GMs, he called, "You missed him! Outta the way!"

They flattened themselves against the walls to let Baku barrel past. Once the red blur zipped by, one pressed the side of his helmet. "GM0679 to command! The target just passed point 38B! Bakunetsumaru is in pursuit!"

Baku's path opened and led around the indoor biome, down to the edge of the thick glass separating the interior of the base from the empty mid-afternoon sky beyond. After some twists and turns, the Blazing Samurai at last cornered Tallgeese as he, visibly, pondered the glass dome. Baku bared his twin blades, ready to sink them into metallic skin. "A little lost, Tallgeese?"

Tallgeese wheeled, revealing the unconscious Gundamess still in his grip. "Actually, I was on my way out."

"You'll have to get through me first," Baku said, crossing his swords.

"Nah-ah~" Tallgeese said with a wag of his finger. "If you do that, you'll hit the little missy, too."

The samurai leapt at him, feinted a jab that missed Tallgeese's head, dodged to the side, and slashed at a wing. An unoccupied gauntlet claw caught his blade. Tallgeese laughed as Baku ground his teeth and growled, "Drat!"

"Aleda!"

Baku looked back to see Zero stumbling down the hall by foot, the left side of his chest sparking.

Tallgeese shoved the Musha Gundam, sending him skidding several feet on his back. "Too late, Winged Knight!" Tallgeese crowed at the new arrival. "The little stamina you had has already been expended. I'm taking the little lady."

"I…won't let you!" Zero said, huffing as he held his shield before him, ready for battle.

The Knight of the Tempest scoffed. "I could strike you down now and be done with it, but I'm impatient to make use of my new toy." Tallgeese moved to turn his back to the Gundam. "I'll enjoy returning to face you again, Loser Knight, using your own girlfriend's powers to squash you."

"NO!" Zero, in a last burst of effort, sprung at the kidnapper, aiming his sword for the enemy's face. As with Baku, Tallgeese shifted his head to the side to dodge the stab, then kicked the Gundam in the stomach. Zero sprawled on the floor.

"Zero!" Baku, on his feet, rushed to his friend's side.

Zero heard nothing but his GunSoul's pained whine. _No! I cannot let him! Mana, don't let him take her!_ he screamed inside, but his body responded as well as a lead weight; he quaked on his hands and knees, frantically pushing against gravity.

Tallgeese's great energy claw flared, and he struck the glass behind him. CRASH! The wall shattered outward, exposing the blue sky. Baku sprang to his feet and left Zero to run at the kidnapper, but a moment too late.

"Sayonara, samurai!" Tallgeese cackled as he slipped out of the hole.

Said samurai skid to a stop at the edge. "Come back, you coward!"

"Aleda…!" Zero grunted as he hauled himself up. "Aleda!" He hobbled to the jagged tip of the giant gap and crouched.

Baku immediately stepped between him and the open air. When the Knight Gundam tried to side-step him, Baku adjusted himself and wrestled with him while attempting to angle his katana so as not to cut his friend. He hooked Zero's shoulders with his wrists and dragged him in.

"Release me!" Zero shouted, flailing wildly in his grip. "I have to save her!"

But the Musha Gundam, wide-eyed, maintained his hold even as he slipped a katana into its sheath to give himself a free hand. "_Baka! _You can't fly like this! You'll fall to your death!"

"I have to try!"

"You're not helping anyone dead!"

"No…!" All the knight could do was watch helplessly as the Zakorello Gate broke into the cloudless day and the white forms approached it. "Aleda!" The portal engulfed them and flashed out.

And that was it. She was gone.

Zero stared in disbelief at the empty sky. Baku, noticing that his struggling had ceased, released him. "Aleda…" Tears trickled down the Winged Knight's face. "No…" He dropped his weapons, threw himself to the floor, banged his fist on the tiles, and wailed. _My fault... it's my fault!_

Titan flew in. "Where is she?!" He spotted the hole, and Zero huddled on the floor, and he landed beside the knight to demand, "What happened?! Where is Aleda?!" But, Zero made no response.

Captain and Guneagle skid to a stop behind them. "…It seems we're too late," Captain observed remorsefully. Baku nodded silently in reply.

Titan gaped. His shields rattled against his frame.

With a flash of his V-fin, Captain stated over the comm, "The enemy escaped through a Zakorello Gate. He took the hostage."

"Well, where'd he take her? We can still hunt him down!" Guneagle proposed.

The V-fin flashes stopped. "The odds say Lacroa," Captain stated bluntly.

"Oh…" Guneagle said with a glance to the motionless knight on the floor, "That bites…"

"I'm going to give a detailed report to Chief Haro," Captain said, setting off down the paved path he came from.

"Coming!" Guneagle called, and he ran until he fell into step beside his superior.

Titan's shocked gaze hardened into a scowl. "You said she was safe!" he spat at Bakunetsumaru.

Baku bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

The bulky Knight Gundam's shields vanished into magical storage, and he wheeled with a flap of his cape. "You cannot fix this. Neither of you." And with that, he zipped across the biome to the distant central modules.

"Hey!" Baku called, reaching after the retreating Lacroan. "Zero needs healing...!" But Titan had already gone from sight.

"Selfish prick," Baku muttered. As he turned to tend to his friend, his foot disturbed something small and thin. He looked down: a familiar brown card lay on the floor, innocently watching him. He stooped and picked it up, then knelt next to his wounded friend. "Hey, Zero, you okay?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

"No. I…Baku, I couldn't protect her, either," Zero said, barely restrained sobs cracking his voice. "I couldn't protect Lacroa, nor Fenn, nor my princess…and not even the lady I love…My Little Wing…" He choked off. More tears spilled down his face. "…My Aleda…"

"What could you have done? You're injured," Baku said. "If it's anyone's fault, it's ours—mine and the rest of the base; we were in perfectly good health, and we failed."

Zero shook his head. "You gave your all. I should have done more. He…" He held his hands before his face, to see the silver digits, the solid white palms, the appendages he had thought so strong. "I let him snatch her almost straight from my arms, Baku. One moment, I was holding her, and the next…!" His voicebox wouldn't let him finish. He curled into the floor to hide his face while his curved shoulders heaved.

After an uncomfortable few moments, Baku sighed. "Look, you can either keep feeling sorry for yourself, or you can act like a true warrior, and get up, and start thinking about how you're going to save Aleda."

Zero sniffed. "I can't even find her until Bell Wood finishes repairing the Dimensional Transporter…"

"Are you sure?"

Zero curiously lifted his gaze to Baku's smirk. "…You have an idea?"

"Well, stand up and I'll tell you while we haul your pansy hide to Chief Kao Lyn."

...

Wind tickled her conscious. She shivered, then flexed her fingers to find a blanket. Only, her arms couldn't move. Her eyescreens flashed on. Sky loomed over her, and beneath her a hard surface with an electric thrum indicated an unfamiliar presence. Her chin was cradled in the nook between a shoulder armor piece and a helmet, both bearing a coloring scheme foreign to her robot friends. She squirmed against her bonds until a deep voice terrified her into stillness.

"Welcome home, little lady," it said with a cackle.

"Wh-what?" she stammered, her GunSoul pounding.

"We are in Lacroa, now. I brought you here, as per our agreement."

Her terror only grew as her processor placed the voice's owner. Tallgeese, Zero's enemy. Aleda surveyed the dreary landscape. A reddish sky, a pit of stone, bare purple and red mountains and cliffs, hardened water… All she recognized from Zero's depictions were the two moons in the sky.

"Where's Zero?"

"In that base where I left him." Tallgeese sneered. "Your precious knight failed to defend you."

Her eyes flashed an alarmed jade. "Is he okay?" she begged. "Please, tell me he's okay!"

"To my regret, he is alive. I never laid a hand or claw on him after you surrendered. So, I have kept my end of the bargain there." With a smirk, he added, "Though I make no promises that he'll recover from his injuries. That is beyond my control."

"What about everyone else? Baku, Captain—"

"Your questions are beginning to irritate me," he snapped, silencing her.

For several minutes, Aleda tried to bottle her panic. Then, as they drew closer to the dead, giant-spike-punctured city, she renewed her physical struggles.

"It is futile to resist. There is no escape to Neotopia without the Zakorello Gate," Tallgeese said, and the girl's flails died away with a whimper.

From below, two unseen pairs of eyescreens watched, hidden beneath a spiky petrified evergreen. "Ace-san," whispered the slighter one to the other. A ridged ponytail flowing behind the robot gleamed gold in the dim light. "Who is that?"

The other, in black armor and wide shoulder guards, whispered back, "Tallgeese has brought back a prisoner."

"Another for us to help?"

"Yes, Lady Amane."

Their distant targets flew into Lacroa Castle through a window in the tallest tower. Ace gathered his legs beneath himself. "We've seen enough. Let us report to the others." The female joined him in dodging through the rock forest to the lakeside, which had a crack in its hardened surface. Down they dove, with the Dark Axis none the wiser.

Meanwhile, Aleda and Tallgeese spiraled down a long, dark staircase. It eventually opened into an expansive chamber that held the grand staircase opposite, and many doorways and smaller staircases branching off. Tallgeese chose the door at the top of the grand staircase. _The throne room_, Aleda realized.

The throne room was wider and taller than the central chamber they had just left, and the long, elegant stained-glass windows only accentuated its size. The walls were cast with a purple glow from the darkened sky, and the stone floor a deep red. At the far end, above a short flight of steps, loomed a stone column almost wide enough to form another wall: the petrified Spirit Tree. A sick feeling entered Aleda's GunSoul as soon as she laid eyes on it, the source of Lacroa's life—and her own—dead as stone. In front of the gigantic stone tree stood the throne, a gold-embellished work of art.

Aleda jolted as, from within the shadows hugging the Spirit Tree, two forms stepped forward, one glaring red and the other bright blue.

"My lord, were you successful?" Vayeate inquired politely.

"Yes. I brought back the Gundamess," Tallgeese gloated, pulling forward his unwilling prize. "Say hello to the Sacred Beast Phoenix, incarnated in mortal form."

Aleda's eyes widened. _Phoenix? Me? _

"Will she become another of your Summon Spirits, Lord Tallgeese?" Vayeate asked.

"Milord would be unstoppable merged with two Sacred Beasts at once!" Mercurius said.

Aleda shuddered. A recollection from the recent battles, of Griffin screeching as though in distress while its essence and powers were absorbed into the traitorous foe, played through her central processor.

Tallgeese swelled with the praise of his underlings. "If she is indeed the Phoenix. But first, I have another use for her. Have Miku prepare the princess's room!" He smirked. "Such a special guest deserves our best."

"Yes, my lord," both answered, bowing. They rose and flew out to the grand staircase.

"Now, milady, I'll explain a few rules," Tallgeese said, dragging Aleda up with him to the throne.

Aleda tried to remain even-faced while she stumbled along with him. The teasing and condescending "milady," combined with the stony plight of her original life source, accumulated tears in her eyescreens.

"First, you will refer to me as 'Lord Tallgeese.' Two, if you try to escape, I won't be happy. The third, and most important, is that you do everything I say."

Aleda silently glared in response.

Tallgeese let go of the bound girl, leaving her standing, and eased his frame into the throne. "You seem confused, so I will spell out for you what your purpose is in Lacroa." With a snap of his black fingers, the feathery binds on Aleda scattered, but she remained still, locked in his purple eyes. "The Sacred Beast Griffin, my Summon Spirit, recognizes the scent of your energy to be partly that of his sister Spirit Phoenix. Not only that, but your wings and impressive fire magic, and even your green eyes hearken to the Sacred Beast of fire and rejuvenation. I can only conclude that you are actually the Spirit in another form."

"What... what does that mean?" she asked apprehensively.

"That means that you are not a Gundamess at all, and not even a robot, but an ancient Spirit pretending to be a robot." Tallgeese rested his chin on his hand. "All this time, hidden away for twenty years in a body of metal..."

"But, I'm not a Spirit. I've been a Gundamess ever since I was a baby," she protested.

"Oh? Where were you born, then? Who were your parents? I'm very curious to know why you were in Neotopia."

She kept silence, until his face hardened.

"Answer me!" he bellowed.

Aleda, with a shivering breath, bowed her head and said, "...I was raised in Neotopia by the humans who found me, when I was a baby."

"Raised in another dimension?" Tallgeese pondered. "How did you get there?"

"A portal."

"Hmm. Interesting choice of Mana, to send one of its most powerful children to another dimension."

"Tallgeese, I'm not—!"

Movement flashed, and a sharp sting met the side of Aleda's face, eliciting a brief cry of pain. Then she rubbed her cheek, staring at Tallgeese, who stood over her with his hand still raised.

"That should teach you some respect. I ordered you to address me as Lord Tallgeese!" The robot's eyes flashed forebodingly. "You are under my rule, now, and you will pay if you defy me, child."

Aleda paused, trying to slow her breaths and ease her quaking frame. She murmured, "My friends will come save me."

Tallgeese laughed. "Only if they can cross dimensions! Last I heard, the Gundam Force is incapable of inter-dimensional travel."

"They'll find a way," Aleda insisted, though with a wavering voice.

"You really believe in that ragtag group of Gundams? It took two years for them to come to Lacroa. Why do you think Zero or the rest will come in time to save you?" Tallgeese sneered.

"_In time..."? _She fearfully watched her captor, but he only reseated himself in his throne.

"Oh, no need to worry, my dear. No harm shall come to you. That is," Tallgeese said with a grin, "as long as my target is willing to cooperate in exchange for your safety. I'll tell you later who I'm bartering with for your life, this time. I think you'll find it amusing."

Mercurius and Vayeate flew back in and kneeled before the throne. "My lord, it is as you commanded," Vayeate stated.

"Good. Then, little lady, let us show you your new home." Tallgeese began to rise, and Aleda stepped back warily. She briefly considered making a shot for her freedom, but Tallgeese grabbed her arm before she could try. "Vayeate! Mercurius!" the conqueror of Lacroa barked.

"Yes, lord?"

"You may accompany us."

"Thank you, milord!" The red and blue knights rose into the air and tailed Tallgeese and Aleda as they passed through the immense doorway.

They passed through several corridors and chambers, all tinted with the same dark light. In some places, stone statues crowded together. In others, there were hardly any, if any at all. Aleda inspected their elaborate clothing while trying not to meet their dead gazes; the passage reminded her of walking through a graveyard. As they went, Tallgeese pointed out the high-ceilinged, cherub-adorned ballroom; the expansive library; and, out the window, the once-beautiful gardens that were now turned to hard rock. Although Aleda wanted nothing to do with her captors, she could not help but show interest in the sights. After all, she had explored them many times through Zero's stories. "And there," the tall Lacroan said, pointing past the gardens to the rooms in the outer ring of the castle wall, "are the knights' quarters."

"That's…where Zero stayed?" Aleda asked, staring at the plain, low structure. It was only a stone brick, one-story segment of the final ring of wall before the drop-off to the outside city, containing a row of evenly-spaced doors. In the bow of the curve in the castle wall and the row of barracks, she could see narrow windows spaced to match the doors. Arrows could not have easily passed through, but neither could sunlight.

"Yes, he and Deed, and other knights, lived there. The elder three Royal Knights stayed in the main castle, closer to the royal family that they guarded."

"Where are they? The other Royal Knights?"

"I have no idea. Since they have not come to bother me, I assume that they perished in the invasion," Tallgeese said with a shrug. "I would have liked to have ended them personally, but oh well. On to more important matters: your glorified cell is probably ready enough. Let us go see what Miku has done to make it livable."

Aleda glanced one more time at the low barracks, where her knight had stayed in his previous life, the life that she realized now she knew so little about.

...

"So, you're saying we should have someone hitchhike on the Komusai as it is retreating, slip through the Zakorello Gate, and hopefully end up in Lacroa?" Chief Haro summarized, rubbing the space between his mask's eyeholes. He and the rest of the Gundam Force mainstays—including Shute, who had arrived after school—were on the command deck discussing how to proceed after the kidnapping that had occurred right inside their base. Baku, of course, had seen fit to propose his plan.

"Well, we might have to sneak around a little in the Dark Axis hideout and catch another ride, but we can make it!" Baku said, grinning.

"Was that really your whole plan?" Zero muttered beside the samurai. He reclined on a tall stretcher while Titan silently imparted healing magic through his hand and Kao Lyn watched with fascination.

"I'm not so sure. It's very risky," Chief Haro said.

"But we need to save Aleda," Shute said, bearing a frown that hadn't left his face since he had stepped on base that day and learned of what had transpired. "We can't just leave her!"

"We won't, Shute," Chief Haro reassured him. "I'm only saying we may need to come up with a different plan. For example, we could use the Dimensional Transport Device."

"But we cannot wait for Dr. Bell Wood to rebuild the Dimensional Transport Device," said Zero. "By the time he finishes, something terrible could have happened to her!"

"Yeah, Chief, just think of it as an airline," Guneagle said. "It's only a matter of switching flights, right?"

Chief Haro shook his head. "It may be better if we tried stealing the Zakorello Gate, or increasing the number of people working on the transporter's repairs…"

Guneagle gasped, "_Stealing_ the Zakorello Gate? Wouldn't that be even harder?"

"It would require a full-scale assault. The Dark Axis is likely to have strong protection around their only link between dimensions," Haro surmised. "But with enough soldiers, we could pull it off. And we would cut communications and reinforcements between the different factions at the same time. We would rescue our lost member and end the Dark Axis incursions all at once."

"That may involve many casualties, sir," Captain noted grimly. "We have little intel on their army's size or the full scale of their weaponry. I'd say we'd have only a 50% of success."

"Against people like Zapper Zaku and those other bozos?" Baku said, glancing sideways at Captain. "You underestimate us."

"The presence of stronger Dark Axis members such as Tallgeese and Ashuramaru suggests that there are many in their ranks who are better fighters than Zapper Zaku, Grappler Gouf, or Destroyer Dom. It is best to err on the side of caution."

Chief Haro leaned on a nearby console, as if tired, and nodded, admitting, "You are right, Captain. It's too great of a risk."

"Then what are we to do?" Zero burst. "Even putting more to the task of fixing the transporter will mean over a month longer to wait. Dr. Bell Wood says he needs a component that requires a long time to process. Baku's proposal would take at the most another three weeks to implement. Dark Axis is never a long time gone from Neotopia."

"We can't incur more hostages or casualties," Chief Haro sighed.

"It would be only a few people! Sir, please!" Zero begged. "Every day that passes is another day Tallgeese could harm her. What if he maims her?" His gaze dropped, and his fists clenched. "What if he kills her?!"

Chief Haro spoke, "Zero, I understand your concerns, but unless there is some factor that will improve our chances, it is likely that Bakunetsumaru's plan will only end in making matters worse."

Shute raised his hand.

"Yes, Shute?" Chief Haro said.

"I still have my voice changer. It worked once already and got the Zakorello Gate to listen to us. I'm sure it can work again."

Baku jumped. "Oh, wait! I have something, too!" He reached behind into some unseen cranny in his armor and pulled out a little card. "Zero! I found this! It looks like the cards the Pawn Leos had. Can it turn us invisible, too?"

Zero's eyescreens nearly popped out of his helm. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"I forgot!"

"Stupid samurai! This changes everything! Let me see it!"

Huffing, the Musha Gundam slapped it into Zero's waiting hand. "Fine, you overgrown bluejay!"

"Thank you, squawking red rooster!"

Shute groaned in dismay. "Come on, guys!"

Zero rolled his optical sensors and then inspected the card. "This is like the Pawn Leos' cards," he said. "But, it contains more potent magic. Whoever created these spell cards must have learned to create a more powerful version for Tallgeese."

"That would explain why my scanners could not detect him," Captain said.

"Not only yours, Captain, but the equipment of the entire SDG Base was fooled," Chief Haro interjected. "It completely hid all traces of Tallgeese except for sounds."

"And it hid Aleda while they were in direct contact," Captain added. "Otherwise, it would have been much easier to trace them."

"I am not surprised, from the great amount of energy I sense within the card," Zero said, turning over the article. "This magic, as Captain said, makes invsibile both the user and some people touching the user. Tallgeese planned this well."

"We could use it to sneak through the Dark Axis's turf!" said Shute. "All we have to do is sneak on the Komusai when the Dark Axis is retreating, and as long as we stay together, they can go on another ship heading to Lacroa. They can get back the same way, too! The Dark Axis will never even know—that is, until they notice Aleda's gone!"

Chief Haro straightened and stroked his chin in thought. "Now, that could work." Though, quickly he amended, "But, you're not going with them, Shute."

"Aw..."

The leader of the SDG silently pondered, his eyes fixed to the ceiling and a hum escaping his mask. Under the expectant looks of his subordinates, he at last said, "Alright, you may carry out your plan."

Cheers erupted in the room. Captain's eyes lifted in his happy expression ^^ , Juli and Guneagle gave Shute a high-five, and Baku gave Zero a heavy "pat on the back." Zero winced under the smack and began coughing heavily. "Baku, watch—*hac*—the—!"

Baku cringed. "Oh, sorry! I forgot you're still healing."

Chief Haro sighed and muttered to himself, "I hope we don't regret this..." But then he cleared his throat, silencing the room. "Ahum, well. Now that we know roughly what the plan is, who are going to be the hitchhikers?"

"I was thinking Zero, Captain, Titan, and me," said Baku.

Haro, looking at the stretcher-bound Savior of Lacroa, said, "I can see the advantage of having someone who knows the land, but Zero as of now has not recovered enough to go on this mission. If the Dark Axis arrives before he has healed sufficiently, we'll have to carry out the plan without him accompanying you."

Baku moved as if to object, but Zero laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay," he said softly. "I would prefer to be involved personally, but Aleda's safety comes before my grudge against Tallgeese. If the opportunity arises, take it."

The samurai conceded with a nod. "...Alright."

"I may not have been to Lacroa for fifteen years," Titan said, "but I will provide what assistance I can."

"It is much appreciated, Titan." Chief Haro turned back to the rest of the team. "Now that that's settled: everyone, dismissed!" Chief Haro said, saluting.

Those gathered saluted and dispersed. Zero hailed the SDG's honorary member, who was exiting with Captain. "Shute." The boy turned to him. "Thank you," Zero said, "I was afraid Aleda would be trapped with Tallgeese forever."

Shute smiled. "No problem, Zero. She's my friend, too, after all."

The knight nodded. "Yes... I will be relieved when she is here, safe."

"It won't be long!" the human boy asserted.

From beside him, Captain chimed in, "We will rescue her. I promise."

"Thank you."

The two Neotopians continued on, and Baku came beside Zero. "I'll help him to his room," he said to Titan.

"Very well. My own energy is running low at the moment, anyways." Titan, as Kao Lyn continued to watch, spellbound, softened the glow until it died, and withdrew his hand from the chestplate over Zero's wound.

"Can you walk?" Baku asked.

"Yes." Zero slid to his feet, but he promptly wobbled. Baku quickly put an arm under him. Though sighing in frustration, Zero told him, "Thank you..."

"Are you in pain?" Kao Lyn inquired.

"No. Just weakened."

"Then go rest. All you should be doing right now is eating and sleeping. And don't use magic!" the scientist admonished with a wag of his finger.

"Yes, sir," the knight mumbled.

"I'll come to use more healing magic once I have recharged some energy," Titan stated. He floated out the door as soon as the words had passed his lips.

"Come on, let's go," Baku said to his crippled friend. Zero nodded.

"Do you need anything, Zero?" Chief Haro interrupted. The robotic knight paused to look over his shoulder at the masked man. "Is there anything that I could do to help you?"

Zero's blue eyes began to sink even before the Chief had finished. "Everyone is already taking care of me, sir. Thank you."

The green mask bobbed. "Just let me know."

Zero, with Baku's assistance, staggered out of the command deck.

Once they passed into the light green hallway, the Blazing Samurai began, "I'm feeling pretty hungry after all that."

The Winged Knight nodded. "Hmm."

"Why don't we get something to eat? Like riceballs!"

After a moment's wait, Zero perceived silence and looked to his companion. "Hm? Oh, food. Sure."

"You're less alert than usual."

"You're nosier than usual," came the grumbling response. _And more perceptive_, Zero silently added.

"You're still worried," Baku said.

"Of course I am!" Zero burst. Baku stopped, and so too did Zero's wobbly steps. "Who knows what he'll do to her?"

"Nothing bad will happen. At least, nothing _that _bad. He needs her for something, right? So he won't hurt her."

"But what if he does?" Zero said in a hushed tone, as if afraid that by voicing the idea it would come to pass. "What if Tallgeese seriously harms her?"

"Then he'd better be ready to pay the consequences," Baku snarled. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Zero shook his head, whether in hopelessness or in horror at the possibilities, his friend could not determine.

"Hey." Baku nudged him. "If she's hurt, you'll comfort her and pull her through it. I know that seeing you always makes her happy. So don't worry. You two can pull through whatever Tallgeese throws at you!"

The Lacroan knight somberly voiced, "I wish I could be there to give Tallgeese a licking."

"Well, if you can't come, Zero, you can count on me to rescue your maiden and to avenge your pride," Baku said resolutely. "I'll pay Tallgeese back double for what he's done!"

Zero managed a small smile. "Thank you. I know she'll be in good hands."

...

The caverns were dank and wet, but not dark. Glowing crystals cast a glow bright as day—at that moment perhaps even brighter than Lacroa's sun, since the skies had been blotted by dust since the Bagu-Bagu. Drips echoed, as did the scuffling of metal feet against the rock floor where two Gundamesses huddled. One had silver lining and a helmet with a coiled spike at her forehead resembling a unicorn horn, while the other gleamed dusky red and bore two large white metal wings on her back. The silver-edged one glanced anxiously at the winged one; though her armor had dimmed with age, the elder's green eyes gleamed brightly, burning with some consuming, unvolunteered thoughts.

"Lady Opal," the younger began, "what is it?"

From a small lake enclosed in the underground chamber, a splash replied. From the waters emerged a smug blue face. "It's her getting old, Papillon," said the surfaced Gundamess. "Her mind's allowed to wander."

Lady Opal snapped a sharp eye at the smirking water-dweller. "The Griffin has returned to Lacroa," she said evenly. "And something else."

"Who?" Papillon asked.

"I don't know."

"That's frightening, lady," said the marine Gundamess, pulling herself over the rocky lip to the dry floor, revealing a long, scaled metal fish tail. "Your magic is pretty strong. For you not to be able to detect it properly, it must be something big."

"No, Calypso, it is only that I have not sensed a magic aura like this before," returned the older Gundamess. Her gaze then jerked to a tunnel leading out of the cavern, and the other two also silenced.

Two metal forms ran into the cave, one dark with large black, jagged armor pieces on his shoulders, and the other green with a golden, ridged ponytail. Papillon rose to her silver feet. "Sir Ace! Amane!"

"What have you learned?" Lady Opal asked as the whole crowd of Gundams gathered near her. Calypso's tail split in half and shifted behind her to form skirt armor and to free a pair of legs. Amane knelt beside Papillon with a gentle swish of her ponytail, while Ace stood before the gathering.

"The guards are posted at only the cave entrances, the towers, and the main entrance to the castle," Ace stated. "The side entrances and the windows are unguarded. They are not expecting company."

"As well they shouldn't under these circumstance," Calypso chimed in. "Lady Amane, are you sure your friend is in there?"

"She is. Ace-san helped me look inside," Amane said. "I saw her feet bound by a magical chain. She is still a prisoner, and very mistreated." Her scowl gave an inkling of draconic rage barely concealed within her slim frame. "We have to hurry. Tallgeese has returned, and I don't want him to lay another finger on her."

Papillon nodded, murmuring, "Just like Lady Opal said."

"Who else has come?" Lady Opal inquired. "I sensed something more than the Griffon. Was there another Spirit with him?"

Ace's digital eyebrow raised. "No Spirit. He had a Gundamess captive with him."

The Lady's face furrowed. "I sensed her as soon as she entered Lacroa. She has a strange aura."

"We saw nothing out of the ordinary with her," the perplexed Knight Gundam continued, "besides that she was taken from beyond the dimensional portal. Tallgeese has brought her to Lacroa Castle for an unknown purpose. I believe this makes our mission even more urgent."

Lady Opal nodded. "For him to go through the trouble of bringing someone from another dimension, she must be important, and we must stop him before he carries out his plans."

"Then, let us make our own plans," Calypso said with a mischievous grin.

...

"The Bagu-Bagu petrified everything organic during the invasion, right down to the last blade of grass and the smallest crumb of bread," Tallgeese explained as the mini-entourage floated towards the royal quarters. "But, our advanced Lacroan systems still require us to consume organic material to convert into energy, and soft materials are my preferred sleeping places. So, after the Dark Axis assisted us in conquering Lacroa, I had Deathscythe destroy the Bagu-Bagu so that we could use new organic matter in peace." He snapped his fingers, and a pie appeared in his hand. "We receive organic essentials from Ark and our own magic. There are few mouths to feed, so our sustenance is not a problem." The dessert just as quickly disappeared again.

"Where did everyone go?" Aleda murmured.

"Hm?"

"All of the robots."

"The Dark Axis requested to take Gundam prisoners, and I obliged—mostly," Tallgeese said. "As for the other robots, I destroyed those who refused to follow me, and those under my rule are either here in this castle or in service to the Dark Axis elsewhere." He beamed proudly. "The whole kingdom of Lacroa belongs to me. And, once I take care of the Feather Dragon, nothing will be left to stop me from ruling forever!"

They slowed in front of a set of doors with heavy bolts. Aleda's eyes followed the petrified frame, taking in its height so they wouldn't have to meet her captor's stare. "I won't help you," she mumbled.

"You have no choice." Clanks echoed as he landed and approached her. His movement forced her to jerk her attention to him; her eyescreens burned with green-flamed anger, but their edges held fear. "I see it in your eyes," Tallgeese sneered in her face. "You still think that Zero will come and stop me. But you saw what happened when he faced me without the Feather Dragon. He was unable to defeat me, and he was powerless when I came to take you right from under his nose! Someone so weak cannot stop me!"

"He is not weak!" she cried.

"Weak or no, he has weaknesses…" Tallgeese trailed his finger along the underside of her chin, and Aleda squirmed. "You will be of much use to me, Lady Aleda." While the Gundamess trembled in fear, he withdrew his hand and turned to his minions. "Mercurius, Vayeate, open the door for our lady."

His minions obeyed, each taking a side of the long double-doors. When Aleda hesitated, Tallgeese nudged her forward. "Well? Ladies first." She glared sharply but obliged him by entering.

The petrified walls were grey—or they would have been if the red sky did not reflect off of them. The floor, a hard leaf-patterned surface formerly made of carpet, was a ghastly purple from the same odd lighting. Various spirits had been painted onto the ceiling. Among the black-and-white, Aleda spotted gold-outlined traditional portrayals of the Four Sacred Beasts, and the Feather Dragon above them. _Fenn…_

She looked around, astonished at how far the room stretched. Captain, Zero, Baku, Gunbike, Shute, Guneagle, and Aleda, plus all six Gundivers, could have fit in the room at once and had a party without breaking anything (hopefully). Windows patterned in stained-glass roses of various colors stretched from ceiling to floor, and grand, frozen curtains partially draped them. A vanity rested at the far end of the room with a three-way, full-length mirror beside it, and nearer to the door was another full-length mirror. Beside the bed were a nightstand and a desk with stone books and a dusty candle. A long lounge chair with an elegant floral pattern framed in gold lay at the foot of the bed, and its twin against the wall near the vanity. The only object out of place was a cot beside the stone bed, made of a simple wood frame laid on the floor with bedding and sheets spread across it.

Aleda floated all the way to the end of the room, and her gaped when she saw the room turn a corner to reveal another large door.

"I hope it's to your liking," Tallgeese said, fanning himself with a golden feather. He departed with a laugh that ended in the slam of immense doors. CLUNK!

As soon as he left, Aleda allowed herself to take in deep breaths and survey the room a few seconds more while she could stand it. Then, she leaked a few tears and shuddered with heavy wheezes. A single sob escaped her before she buried her face in the cot.

Quickly, though, her audio receptors perceived movement from the large door in the back of the princess's room, which surprised her into quieting her cries.

Aleda rubbed her eyescreens dry. _Did Tallgeese mention there were other people here?_ she thought to herself as she stepped to the door.

With rough grating noises between petrified door and tile floor, she pushed it open to behold a bathroom—one with a pool-sized "bathtub" and a walk-in linen closet—the latter bearing a petrified door-frame.

Aleda knew that the linen closet was walk-in because someone stood inside with a back to her, organizing the towels. A Gundamess, Aleda noted with growing hope. The stranger was thin and had red armor adorning her helmet for a crest, her chest and shoulders, her waist for a skirt, and the outer edges of her blue-edged feet. Little gold designs accentuated the red and blue. On the back of her helm protruded short, scraggly black strands.

"Hello?" Aleda called.

The stranger raised her head from a wicker basket of folded linens. "Oh, hello," she said, turning around to face Aleda with a smile. "You must be the newcomer."

"I guess so," Aleda said, drawing closer. "I'm Aleda."

"Pleased to meet you." The unknown Gundamess smirked. "My name is Miku."

"Do you live here?"

"Yes, though not by choice." Miku slipped another towel into the closet. "I'm from Ark. A warlord sold me off to Tallgeese. But, I hear Tallgeese took _you_ from another dimension. Is that right? You look like a Lacroan."

"I am. I was accidentally sent to another dimension when I was little, and I was raised there," Aleda answered.

"Wow. Haven't heard a story like that before," Miku commented. "But your accent isn't Lacroan, and your mannerisms are obviously not Lacroan, so I suppose I believe you."

Aleda's expression and wings drooped.

Miku laughed, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it." She slid the last of the towels in and faced her fully. "I'm not so much interested in your accent as in what you think of our situation."

"Huh?"

The Arkian Gundamess's brown eyes flickered with a strangely familiar fire. "What do you think about escaping?"

"Um..." The young girl glanced around warily for a moment before answering, "I want to, but can we?"

"Not sure." Miku cocked her head. "But, it couldn't hurt to try together."

"O-Okay."

"We won't be making our escape tonight, though." Miku nodded at her feet, drawing Aleda's gaze. The Maiden Gundamess's ankle joints were quivering and had shallow dents, as if something had squeezed around them too tightly. "I just made a bad move before you got here, so they have an eye on me, right now. After Tallgeese blows off some steam today, I should be able to heal and get ready."

Aleda looked up in alarm. "'Blow off steam'?"

"Don't worry about it, kid." Miku waved it aside. "Just focus on getting to know the castle, for now. We'll start planning tomorrow." She turned to survey the stony closet and the neatly-stacked towels, which glared color in the midst of the stony kingdom.

The Lady Gundamess frowned, but following her new acquaintance's pace, she said, "Where will we escape to?"

Red shoulders shrugged. "To Ark."

"You know the way, right?"

"Somewhat. I know the general direction. The rest of the way we'll figure out as we go. I can fend off a few Pawn Leos is need-be." Miku raised a digital eyebrow. "What about you? Can you protect yourself?"

Aleda offered shyly, "Zero's been teaching me how to fight. I can fence a bit, and I can also use fire."

The Arkian's brown eyes shone. "Fire?"

"U-Uh... yeah..." Shrinking back from the sudden blaze in the Maiden Gundamess's expression, Aleda continued, "My magic lets me control fire... and make fire..."

"Show me," Miku demanded.

Aleda held out her hand, and a flame sprouted from her palm.

The Arkian jabbed her fingers in. "Owow...!"

Aleda instantly snuffed the flame. "Are you okay?!" she gasped, jumping closer to tend to the burn.

Miku, though blowing on her hand, waved off the girl's concern. "I'm fine, I'm fine." Her face, in fact, was glowing, and she grinned widely behind her mouthguard. "It's real!"

"Yeah."

"This is great! I can use your fire well!" Miku beamed as she hefted the wicker basket. "I'm pretty good with flames, myself." She began to walk to the door, though with a limp that contrasted her cheery smile. "Kami must have finally noticed me when he sent you here!"

Aleda drifted after her, blinking.

Miku faced her again in the bedroom. "I'm going to like you," she said, an impish smile spreading over her face.

"I'm... glad to meet you, too." Aleda returned an uneasy smile, wondering what sort of fiery plan she had concocted—and if pyromania was inherent to Arkian culture.

...

"There has been a new development concerning your daughter," Chief Haro said over the phone. "...It is easier to explain if you come here in person. I'll send a ride for you at noon tomorrow so that you can arrive at my location by tomorrow night... Yes, Dr. Vaughn, I understand your distress. I am a parent, as well. I assure you that we are doing everything in our power to ensure Aleda's safety and health. It is simply something that I cannot discuss over the phone. I take the security of your family very seriously... Yes. See you tomorrow night. Goodbye." He clicked the phone off and set it on its charger before slumping into his desk with his hands over his mask.

"This is a disaster. That poor girl..."

...

Titan's glowing hand hovered over the left side of Zero's torso. The two were at the robotic patient's bedside in his own room to care for his agitated wounds. The proud Savior of Lacroa mumbled a grudging "Thank you" as inner circuitry reconnected from the spell.

"I do this for her," Titan said. "You may be a fool, but you're needed if we're going to rescue her. And she loves you. She'd fall to pieces if you died." His patient's blue eyes sought him curiously, so he explained, "She stayed by your side every minute while you were unconscious. She even made a little... display of affection when she thought no one was looking."

Zero blushed. "Did she...?"

"On the cheek."

With one hand, Zero touched his face lightly, as if hoping to find a trace of her kiss, and the other clenched into a fist. "...No matter what, I shall return her safe to Neotopia."

"And then what?" Titan muttered.

"Then... what?" Zero repeated, at a loss.

"What will you do, after? She will not necessarily be safe."

"She will be as safe as she can be if she is with us. Even if our foes are stronger, there is no one else we can rely on to protect her." Then, with distant eyes, he added, "Besides, she and I can only be stronger together. Especially once..."

"You plan to tell her your feelings?"

Zero breathed to release the heat gathered in his face. "...She is loyal, and she has shared my burdens ever since she came to White Base. It is only right that she should be happy, and I never saw her eyes shine more than when she heard she could stay beside me."

"So, you believe you can bring her happiness," the older Knight Gundam scoffed.

After a pause, Zero said, "She has said she wishes to come with me and to live in Lacroa after we defeat the Dark Axis. I can at least give her that."

"Perhaps," Titan grumbled. "Personally, I think that Neotopia is a safer home." His patient flinched. "But," he added with a sigh, "if she is the Phoenix, as we suspect, then she cannot remain in this dimension. She is bound to return to Lacroa, one way or another."

"What do you think he will do with her?" Zero whispered.

"He will want another Summon Spirit. Whether he succeeds in obtaining her powers will depend on her own strength and willpower. At the very least, her fire magic is advantageous against the wind magic of Griffin."

"I shall never allow her to merge with such a foul creature!" the Winged Knight swore.

"Your comrades and I shall carry out your vow in your stead when we go to rescue her," Titan said. "Rest, so that she may have someone to console her when she returns. Mana knows she won't be unscathed."

Zero fell silent as his Gundamium innards churned. With the uncertain fate of his lady consuming his motherboard, rest would be nigh impossible.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, Aleda's folks are coming the next night to learn about how their adopted daughter was kidnapped. I love impending deadlines~ :) I'm also super-excited to see Miku again! She's changed a bit from when I last saw her. She puts on more of a cheerful facade to strangers instead of being cynical and sarcastic right off the bat. Not only that, but it's been close to five years since I last saw Ace, Opal, Amane, Papillon, and Calypso, too. All of them have grown and changed at least a bit in how they express themselves :3 They make me a proud mama.

All of these new characters I originally came up with independent of mobile suits to base them off of, but I've tried since then to find ones that matched them. Ace is the Gundam Griepe from a Gundam Wing side story. It fits really well with the dark coloration and weapon choice I had for him (a lance). Amane is the Dragon Gundam from G Gundam. I'd always thought of her as having green armor and a ponytail, and when I saw the Dragon Gundam I was instantly like "THIS IS AMANE!" Opal has some of the general aesthetics as the Hydra Gundam but in different colors. Papillon is the Penelope without the ridiculous head proportions. And Calypso, breaking from tradition, is a Lacroan Gundam based very loosely on a G Gundam suit, Mermaid Gundam (fin decals and tail, but with a torso that's... less fish-like).

Next one, as I said before, should be out at the start of June.

Thanks to Titanic X for looking this chapter over and making a couple of suggestions XD

-Penelopi

5-30-16: Found a fatal error in which the cot was not described nor even placed in the princess's room before Aleda used it, and I remedied this


	25. In the Nights

**Author's Notes**

I'm excited to be working in this, again, and getting more time to write. Though, I've been hard at work with job hunting and license application, too. Still a little uncertain about what the future holds. Will I become a classroom teacher, eventually? Will I stay an assistant? Will I go into special education, like I originally wanted? I'll just have to wait and see where God leads me.

But, in the meantime, I write.

I hope you guys like sap, because here it comes! :3

**Warning:** This chapter has a short section in which implied physical and sexual abuse occurs. It is not explicit about what is happening—the reader will not witness the actual event itself—but it is implied that it is pretty nasty, to say the least. If you are uncomfortable reading such material, I have provided a marker to indicate the section in question before you actually read it. An isolated "/" will be right before the paragraph where it starts and right after it ends, so you can completely skip it if you want.

**Copyright Info**

This fanfic is based on the SD Gundam Force series by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Miku, Ace, Lady Opal, Amane, Papillon, and Calypso.

* * *

**Chapter 25: In the Nights**

She stared at the vaulted ceiling. She inspected the thick strands of hardened carpet. She followed every pattern on the wall, visually tracing Lacroan legends. A train of red-gold led to the base of a bird's tail. From the thin white cot on the floor, Aleda blinked at the creature's outstretched, glorious wings and the dancing flames flaring all around it. The depicted creature was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her eyescreens wandered up her shoulders, along the short length of her golden wings, and watched as she flexed them. The smooth golden segments glinted in the orange light of dusk, which came through the stained-glass windows.

Windows. Aleda shifted to size up the colorful glass art. _Maybe... _Her wings lifted and carried her to the nearest one, and she pressed a finger to it. No noticeable strain or crack showed itself, but perhaps if she punched—

A sharp rap—and crack—of metal against stone jerked her from her investigation. _"I'm opening the door, prisoner!" _

Aleda darted into her cot and curled under the sheets while the stone door grated open. From below her temporary canopy, she spotted a red metal foot and a floating disc. Mercurius.

The Knight of Thunder stepped in. "I know you're under there," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "You don't think I'm stupid, do you?"

Aleda, scowling, emerged. Her eyes stayed locked on the floor as she shook off the blankets and stood before him, without a single word passing her lips. Though internally, she fumed, _I wasn't trying to hide. I'm not that stupid. I just didn't want him to see me searching the windows..._

"Good. It's dinner time, and Lord Tallgeese wants to speak with you." Mercurius turned, showing his back and many generators. "Come. We won't keep him waiting."

And so, Aleda fluttered behind Mercurius down the hallway. The passage was silent. The red sky glared at them through the tall and silent windows. Darkness loomed just past the rays of reddish light, waiting. Stone humans, in elegant trains of former silk or in preserved shining armor, perpetually lunged, stumbled, and lashed out, mouths open in inaudible screams against their departed enemies. Robot knight armor held silent watch along the wall.

The only sounds were the blips of her and Mercurius's flight boosters. Everything else was silent. Void. Still. Aleda glanced around uneasily, looking past the ill-fated statues to observe the rest of her surroundings. If she were to escape, she would have to memorize the layout of the castle. Once she knew where everything was, she could think of the most likely places for a secret escape passage—most castles had those, didn't they?—and begin her search. Of all the things for Zero to neglect to tell her, it had to have been the one thing that could have let her escape.

A large set of doors waited at the end of the hall: two massive structures that arched together, engraved with beasts, humans, Spirits, robots, and ancient Lacroan glyphs. Mercurius pulled open one door to allow her passage. They came to a tall dining room with a long stone table. Tallgeese and Vayeate were already seated at the far end, at the head of the table, where Tallgeese had planted his metal rear in the king's gold-gilded chair.

"Thank you for joining us, my dear," Tallgeese said. "I wanted to talk about your role here in my kingdom. You are very important to my plans."

Gathering herself behind her best glare, she stated, "I'm not going to help you, Tallgeese."

The Knight of the Tempest snapped, "What did I say before about how to talk to me? You will call me 'Lord Tallgeese!'" He paused as if awaiting an answer, but when the Gundamess remained silent, he added a growling, "Now!"

"Yes… Lord Tallgeese," Aleda finally grated out.

"Good," Tallgeese rumbled in pleasure. "Very good, my dear. Now you will join me at the table."

She bit her lip.

"Read the situation, little lady. You have no choice. Have a chair," he said, gesturing to the one at the right of the king's seat. Vayeate walked over and pulled the rock chair out for her. Aleda sat, and then he returned to his own seat on Tallgeese's left, while Mercurius took a chair across from Vayeate, next to Aleda.

Miku entered through a side door pushing a cart with plates of ham, potatoes, bread, peas, and gravy. She set the dishes of food before the four diners. "Here you are, milord." As soon as his food was presented, Tallgeese unclipped the cover over his face, and with a wide, thin mouth he began to dig in, and his knights soon followed.

Aleda, after a momentary stare at the robots' mouths, prodded her food with a fork. Miku brought out wineglasses and poured a little for each person, and then she wheeled the cart through the side door, leaving Aleda alone with her captors.

Reluctantly, Aleda cut a bite of the ham slices, pulled off her faceguard, and pushed it into her mouth. It turned over and over as she chewed, dry as salted peanuts but without the flavor. Her energy processor churned, and her hands, holding her fork and knife, shook. Once she swallowed, she rested her fork on the edge of the plate and rubbed her hands with a napkin.

"Is something the matter, little lady?" Tallgeese queried.

Aleda jerked upright. "Uh…no, sir…Lord Tallgeese…"

"If you're fasting in protest, you must know I'll let you starve before I'll release you."

"I feel sick."

"Well, I hope your health improves. You won't be leaving anytime soon. As I said, the Winged Knight will not save you." The girl gave a defiant glare, at which he chuckled. "Interesting look. But, I'm not here to play. Let's get this over with." His laughter ceased as his face curled into a dangerous grin. "Like I said before, little lady, I need you for something. I'm sure Zero has told you of Lacroa's true beauty?"

A slight pause. Then, "Yes, he has."

Tallgeese set his fork down and leaned closer, propping his chin on folded hands. "I have means to restore Lacroa," he said. At the question in her eyes, he amended, "As long as you cooperate. Spirits, especially powerful ones such as yourself, have incredible abilities."

"You're going to de-petrify the kingdom?" Aleda asked incredulously.

"Not de-petrify. I would have too many problems on my hands, you see. But I shall repopulate it, minus the humans." The girl retained her questioning gaze, so he continued, "All living beings in Lacroa get their souls from the Spirit Tree. No new life can come to this land without its power. Food is no problem with magic, but a dead kingdom is no good. I wish to revive the Spirit Tree, and I know what is needed to accomplish this."

Aleda blinked. "What can revive the Tree?" she asked.

"The Spirit Egg was said to have the power. Because the Feather Dragon hatched from it, it only follows to reason that the Feather Dragon can restore the Spirit Tree, too. I know Feather Dragon is close by, but it's hiding. Likely in the underground caverns. I want you to help me find it."

"How would I help you find him?"

"You are the Phoenix, a fellow Spirit, and the Feather Dragon also knows you from its days in Neotopia."

Aleda's eyes lit with understanding. "So that's why you kidnapped me."

"If you want to call it kidnapping, yes," Tallgeese said with a smirk. "But I prefer to call it 'borrowing you.' There in Neotopia, you are useless, but here you can return life to a world. I am restoring Lacroa, and offering you a greater purpose."

She frowned. "I don't think you'll use Fenn to revive the Spirit Tree."

"You misjudge me, milady. I do not want to rule over a dead kingdom."

"I know you only care about yourself."

"Dear, I love my Lacroa. Why do you think I joined with the Dark Axis? So we could better the kingdom!" His eyes flashed eagerly. "Think of it: a Lacroa without humans and their repressive laws. We robots would dominate. We would make our own law, unrestrained by those weakling organics! Before the Dark Axis, humans always had the throne, and we were repressed, limited at the knight class. We were their servants. Now _we_ rule. Our possibilities stretch endlessly!"

Aleda maintained her hard gaze. "It's just revenge. You took away people's lives... You destroyed all the humans, and even the Gundams of Lacroa."

"The Gundams of the old Lacroa proved to be organic-serving traitors," Tallgeese growled. "They sided with those who repressed all of us robot kind, all for a few favors."

"What favors?"

"A high class at birth, and exclusive membership in the royal court," Tallgeese answered. "Did you know? Only Gundams can become Royal Knights. That is why I was rejected when I tried to join their ranks."

Aleda looked down at her lap, fiddling with her wrinkled napkin and frowning in doubt-filled thought.

"They all cooperated with the humans to repress the rest of us robots."

"But, not all Knight Gundams could have done that. Zero wouldn't have."

"_Zero?_ You bring _Zero_ into this?" Tallgeese scoffed. "He deserted his fellow knights to escape from Lacroa, and then he prevented me from reviving the Spirit Tree by stealing the Spirit Egg. Hardly a good role-model, much less a real savior to Larea."

Aleda burst, "How could you twist the truth like that? He always felt horrible for leaving, but he never even chose to leave!"

"The truth?" the conqueror scoffed. "You believe that Zero is an honest knight? When you've only known him for... how long?"

The Lacroan Gundamess's wingtips stiffened as she tensed.

"Poor little lady. You think he is a brave warrior come to save you from your lonely existence in another dimension," Tallgeese mocked. "Did he charm you and trap your little heart with his 'milady's and his bows and sweet kisses on your hand?"

Aleda clenched her napkin into a crumpled wad.

Tallgeese scoffed. "Did he pull out your chair for you? Like Vayeate did just now? Did he give you a rose?"

She stared at her lap, her faceplate reddened with embarrassment and rage.

"You don't know him very well, milady. Let me show you what I saw of the Winged Knight, _before _he abandoned Lacroa." Tallgeese flicked his wrist, and a dark magic circle sprang up beside him, its surface solidifying into the image of a clear sky and a round carriage bouncing over the horizon.

As the dinner guests watched, the carriage drew up to a long staircase and halted. The top of the carriage swung open, releasing first a familiar Knight Gundam. _"Your Highness,"_ Zero said with a cape-swishing bow and an extended hand.

The princess of Lacroa's delicate fingers slipped into his, and her blue slippers carried her daintily down the steps of her carriage. The graceful arch of her back and the proud lift of her nose told all of her refinement and status. A real princess.

Aleda's beloved knight guided the elegant girl up the stairs to the entrance of the white-stoned castle that they were visiting, where a company of armed humans and robots waited on either side of a robed man. A gleam of anticipation shone in Zero's eyes, but though he watched the princess carefully, his sideways peeks showed his excitement was not reserved for her.

_"Your Highness, welcome to our humble estate."_

_"Thank you, Lord Dunmere." _

_"We have a room prepared for your vacation stay. Please come this way." _

_"Thank you."_ Princess Relejimana Miya de Lacroa turned to Zero. _"Zero, I'd like to get some space to myself. You go ahead and find something to do for an hour." _

_"But, Your Highness, what_—_?"_

_"They have escorts for me, too."_ The princess nodded pointedly at the armored humans and robots gathered, including the viewer whose eyes Aleda, Tallgeese, and the robot twins saw through. _"I'll be perfectly safe. I just can't stand the..."_ Rele exasperatedly waved her arm as she tried to think of a word, _"... __**hovering**__ right now."_

The shine in Zero's eyes momentarily dimmed. _"Do I displease you, princess?" _

_"When we've been riding together for two days, yes. Go on. Have fun. I know there's someone you've been waiting to see," _Princess Rele shooed him as she entered the threshold amid a cluster of guards.

The shine in the knight's eyes returned. _"Yes, Your Highness."_ After the last of the princess's tresses disappeared, he turned to the viewer. _"Sir Tallgeese, is Lady Azalea here?"_

_"Yes, she is,"_ came a playful voice that drew Zero's eyes beyond the Knight of the Tempest. The view rotated to face a beaming violet Gundamess. _"Hello, Sir Zero."_

Zero quickly invaded the viewers' field of vision to take and kiss her hand. _"It has been too long, milady."_ His eyes sparkled like the glow of his magic. _"Too long."_

_"Yes, indeed."_

Aleda squirmed. Had Zero ever looked at her like that?

The couple flittered away, hand-in-hand, around the corner. Likely headed to some romantic backdrop for Zero's flirtations.

"Not the first, nor the last," Tallgeese sneered.

The picture changed to a nighttime stroll under the arching overhangs on the walk of Lacroa Castle's inner curtain wall. Bright blues and whites were dimmed under the moonlight, of both the castle walls and of the two Gundams standing at the balcony gazing out over the waters. The viewer paused, and in the silence left by his stopped flight boosters, the voices of the Gundams could be heard.

_"This is a beautiful night,"_ whispered a feminine voice.

_"It is almost as beautiful as you,"_ came Zero's.

_"Zero?"_

In the half-light, the Knight Gundam could be seen turning and drawing the Gundamess close. _"Lady Rose,"_ he whispered. The two stared at each other through their glowing eyescreens. _"You are the most beautiful lady in all of Sola Diorama."_ He reached for her mouthguard. _"I love you."_

The next second, their face armor had opened and their lips were pressed together.

Aleda's energy processor twisted.

"There are many more like these," Tallgeese said haughtily. "Zero had his purposes for all of his wooing. Lady Azalea, for example, was a renowned magician in Lacroa who taught him many a spell. And Lady Rose's family had much wealth and few heirs." Flashing a smirk, he snickered, "And you are the Phoenix, a Sacred Beast of Lacroa who could give him greater powers. Which he never bothered to tell you."

The girl's face contorted in pain, and she stood. "I am... not hungry, Lord Tallgeese," she stated, flying to the doors.

Mercurius and Vayeate rose. "Milady, the lord did not dismiss you!"

"No, let her go," Tallgeese commanded. He wiped his face with a napkin. "She won't go anywhere."

Before Aleda even reached the entrance, one of the massive doors grated open to let in red-armored Miku. The Arkian Gundamess blinked at the sight of the girl's wet eyes. "Aleda?"

The girl ducked her helm and wove past, leaving Miku to stare after her.

"Are you concerned, my dear?" Tallgeese said. The Arkian flashed him a glare. "Oh, you're angry~ Then you may also take your leave to tend to your new friend. But, Miku?" The Arkian paused, propping the door. "Do not forget that I am watching."

Miku bowed. "I won't, milord."

"And I have not forgotten what you did while I was away. Behave, or it will be even worse for you."

The Gundamess shuddered. "Yes, milord."

...

The Winged Knight picked at his broccoli and steak. The juices pooled invitingly, and the tempting inside of the meat blushed, but the knife lay discarded on the edge of the plate, and only a tiny few bites had disappeared. Zero groaned at the ceiling of Kao Lyn's expansive workroom.

A knock.

"Come in," Zero sighed.

Chief Haro entered. "Zero."

The Knight Gundam set down his fork and saluted him. "Chief."

Haro flashed a returning salute. "How are you feeling?" he asked, stepping to his wounded soldier's cot.

Zero's energy processor answered first, rumbling so loudly he blushed. "Fine," he said.

"How does the food taste?"

"... It seems tasty."

Haro hummed glumly, but nodded. "I'll be brief. Aleda's human family has contacted me to ask her whereabouts, and I am in no position to hide the truth from them. They are coming here so that I can debrief them. They'll arrive tomorrow night. I thought you ought to know."

Zero nodded numbly. "I understand."

"Responsibility for Aleda's abduction rests squarely on my shoulders. There is no need for you to meet them if you don't want to."

Zero exhaled. "No, I am responsible for this. When she could have fled from Tallgeese, she stayed to protect me. I was a poor guardian, and they deserve my apology."

"She protected you, hm...?" Haro sighed deeply and scratched the cheek of his mask. "Zero, I know that you feel a lot of pressure from your role as the 'Savior' of Lacroa," he began. "And I know you have a lot of pride as a knight, which makes you want to take responsibility for your duties and your friends."

Zero scowled. "What are you saying?"

"The people around you are going to make decisions, too, that _they_ are responsible for."

"But..."

"Tallgeese's actions are beyond your control. So are Aleda's. If she decided to risk herself to protect you, then you should not feel guilty. After all, if you are responsible, then you must be thinking that you made it happen, instead of her. How does that respect her sacrifice?" Chief Haro demanded. "Think about that."

"How should I feel, then?!" Zero burst.

The chief paused. "Maybe grateful."

Zero spewed, "I cannot be happy that she was kidnapped!"

"I never said you should be." Haro straightened. "I'm very grateful that a young boy like Shute helps the Force, but I don't think I will ever be 'happy' about it." With that, he left Zero's bedside and stepped out.

Zero growl-sighed in frustration, then lifted the fork to resume morosely picking at his broccoli. "I _am _grateful. I just miss her..."

...

Three Gundamesses lay close together on a mat spread on the rocks, and one Knight Gundam stood in the entrance of their cavern, his large, ridged shoulders framing the crystal light coming from within and without. In the pile of Gundamesses, one frame squirmed; the winged one, though her eyescreens were off, was still conscious while her CPU yet again reviewed data from the day's events.

Specifically, she pondered the strange aura she had sensed from Tallgeese's new prisoner. _Who was that? _she wondered to herself. _It's too similar… _Then, her eyes widened. _It couldn't be. _

A light frame clicked within the cavern, jolting her. The steps paused, but Lady Opal knew already whose they were: she knew those heels like her own wingtips. She shifted and saw the resident mer-Gundamess in mid-creep already halfway to Ace's post. "Calypso?!" she hissed.

Calypso started. Ace turned his head. Lady Opal whispered loudly, "What are you doing?!"

The accused straightened and put a hand on her blue-plated hip. "I can't sleep. I was going to go for a stroll. I didn't want to cause any trouble."

"You know the rules," Ace said. The butt of his lance clanked on the rock floor. "You can't leave the camp alone."

"Then, can't miss Lady here come with me?"

"She wants to sleep. Now is not a suitable time for a stroll." Ace faced the cavern opening, again. "Go to bed, Calypso."

Calypso sighed. "Fine, fine," she muttered, returning to the mat.

Lady Opal also folded her large metal wings again and lay down. The crystals smattered around the cave beamed. Three pairs of eyescreens glowed. Nothing else broke the silence, until Lady Opal sensed an immense power.

It rolled like a storm cloud pushing winds and thunder-claps before it to announce its coming. In this case, the winds were an aura. Another Spirit, different from the energy brought to Lacroa earlier that day, was nearby: a familiar scent that had become tainted by the foul intent of another.

_Why is he so close?! _Lady Opal thought in alarm.

Her fright caused her wings to tickle Calypso's back. "What's wrong, Lady?" Calypso grouched. "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Lady opal bolted upright. "Something's out there!"

"Hm...?" Papillon began to stir beside Opal, rubbing her eyescreens and rolling over onto Amane's ridged ponytail. The Arkian's eyescreens flickered in response. Ace, hearing the disturbance, moved to the women.

"What's out there?" Calypso quipped. "I don't hear anything."

"What is the matter?" Ace asked.

"There is a very strong Spirit out there," Lady Opal said urgently. "I think we..."

Suddenly, like when the wind turns in a new direction and leaves stillness in its wake, Lady Opal sensed a quieting in the air as the strong presence shifted and withdrew. She shuddered from her helm down to the tips of her great white wings when a last gust of the presence brushed her before it slipped away. She released her breath. "It is gone, now."

"Seriously, you wake everyone up for this?" Calypso whined.

"Do not dismiss your elders," Ace rebuked. "Lady Opal doesn't worry over nothing."

Green-armored Amane blinked awake and moved to sit up, but her ponytail caught under Papillon's helm. "Papi-chan," she hissed. "You are on my tail!"

"Sorry," the culprit murmured woozily. When she raised her head, the spiral horn in Papillon's forehead glinted in the crystal-light. "What's wrong?" she yawned.

But Ace and Lady Opal were deep in conversation. "What Spirit was it?" the Knight Gundam asked.

"I… don't know, but…" The Lady frowned. "I believe it is not friendly. We should be very careful if it is on the prowl."

"Lady Amane," Ace said.

Amane ceased rubbing her golden ponytail. "Yes?"

"To face a Dragon Spirit is to face death. Are you certain you are willing to risk that for the sake of your friend?"

Her golden eyes gleamed. "Yes. She is worth dying for a thousand times over. I won't leave Lacroa Castle without her."

Calypso gaped, and Papillon trembled. But the dark-armored Gundam smiled and nodded. "Then so be it. We stay on our course."

"Are you sure I shouldn't take the note to them, Sir Ace?" Papillon put forward anxiously. "I can fly longer…"

He shook his head. "No. I'd never have a clear conscience if I sent a lady on a solo mission. I'll deliver the note. Then, once the appointed time comes tomorrow night, I'll take you and Lady Amane as lookouts, when we meet the prisoners at the servants' quarters."

"Alright…"

"Please, everyone, return to sleep," Ace said. "It is not yet time for anyone else to take the night watch, so rest while you can."

The Gundamesses settled on the mat, and Ace returned to his post. Lady Opal shut her eyes. But, a worrying thought kept her processor from slowing into sleep mode: was that Dragon Spirit prowling around Tallgeese's new captive? She shivered and scooted closer to Papillon. That thought agitated her, made her wings itch. She could not allow Tallgeese, nor any foe, to do as he pleased with that one. Not when she suspected...

...

Aleda lay on her side, staring across the clean white surface of the cot, confusion muddying her green eyes. A knock came, a short rap on stone. _"Aleda?"_ came a female voice.

The girl rose and floated to the door. It ground opened at her insistent tugs, until Miku's brown eyes peered through. The visiting Gundamess smiled sympathetically. "Can I come in?" she asked.

Aleda pulled away from the door, and Miku squeezed in and shoved it closed. "I hope the princess won't mind that little crack in her door," the Arkian laughed awkwardly. All the response she earned was a listless nod.

She allowed Aleda to lead her wordlessly to the cot. When Aleda sat, Miku followed suit and sat beside her. Their weight, rather than depressing the cot, only flattened the thin bed even more. "So..." Miku began again, uncertainly, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but I feel bad that Tallgeese said those things to you."

"It's fine. It could be worse," came the morose reply.

"It could, but..." The red-armored Gundamess's eyes drifted. "...You know he's just trying to hurt you, right? He comes up with lies to break down his enemies." She whipped her helm to face the door. "—No one's listening in, are they?"

"I don't feel any magic close by."

"—Okay." She eased back into the cot. "Well, anyways, don't let him get to you."

Aleda nodded, though her eyes were still flooded with distress.

"What is it that has you so worried?" Miku asked. "Is it the part about Zero not telling you you were a Spirit? He probably didn't know that to begin with—"

"They all knew," Aleda interrupted, quietly. "They asked me a lot of questions, and Zero asked me what Spirits I've met before. He wasn't surprised when Tallgeese called me Phoenix, either..."

"Well... does that mean he doesn't care?"

Aleda hesitated as she browsed through memories of her knight holding her, defending her, consoling her, even catching a blade for her. "I guess not. He... almost died protecting me."

"Then he does care, doesn't he?"

The Lady Gundamess nodded and pulled her legs in to hug herself.

"Just keep holding on to that." Miku stood. "It'll help you keep your sanity." At a questioning glance from the younger girl, she added, "I have to go. I know Tallgeese will be expecting me to clean up. Get some rest so we can talk tomorrow." The Arkian began to walk to the door.

"Miku?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you been here? In the castle?"

Miku gave an ironic smirk, a crack leaking a hint of pain. "Two years." She dragged open the petrified door, slid through, and slammed it shut.

Aleda studied the stone carpet for several minutes more, musing over the conversation. And over memories that felt like weeks ago, even though she had only been at White Base half-a-day earlier. The last time she had seen her friends had been in the afternoon, when Baku had ushered her into Zero's room with a nudge and a wink. Captain had waved her in, too, though politely instead of slyly. Then, her final interaction with Zero...

He'd held her hand—no, held _her_—and asked her to spend her life with him, while swearing he would_"be there with you every day, to teach you and to guard you, my…" _

If only she had been able to stay in his arms, she would have known what would happen when their faces drew closer. She would have learned what words would have finished that sentence.

Then, associations and lingering doubts brought up another intimate, vulnerable scene, with someone different. Instead of the hope Zero had given her, that other encounter had left her with tears, tears which had been promptly swept under the rug. _"Don't take it personally, Little Wing,"_ her mother had said. _"You're built differently." _

Abby's commentary had been sharper. _"What, the robot has __**love**__ issues, now? Get over it. You probably don't really feel in love, anyways. You just want to be more like a human."_

_"Shut up, Abby! You don't get to tell her how she feels!" _snapped her older brother Dominic.

Aleda opened her chest armor a crack to slip out her golden necklace. Her thumb traced the runic letters on the back of the pendant that she now knew to spell "Fae." A tie to her clouded past, which her family had given her before she left. Her reminder of home in both worlds. Perhaps after she escaped, she'd visit her human family. After all, Abby wasn't usually at home. And it had been a long two years.

/

A scream snapped her out of her reverie. It twisted agonizingly through the castle and churned Aleda's energy processor. After a few dreadful moments, the cries were covered, though even muffled they traveled alarmingly well through the still stone halls. Aleda shuddered. As the distressed cries continued, she buried her helm under her pillow. Her eyescreens leaked. She pressed the pillow to her audio receptors in vain to suppress the sounds, while she clenched the pendant tight in one hand. _I don't want to be here! I don't want to be here...! _

Eventually, the audio-piercing sounds stopped. Aleda kept her head under her pillow and sobbed, waiting for sleep to come. The room was cold, the bed felt itchy, and the pervading silence unnerved her more than any bump in the night. But, even that was not enough to keep her drained frame from the clutches of sleep.

/

...

Zero, dis-armored down to his bare helm and torso—besides the electrical tape patching his wound—stared up at his ceiling, which was as empty as he felt. The next morning, when he woke, she wouldn't be there making breakfast. Neither would she train with him after. He had hoped by now to be able to confidently and casually slip an arm around her as she worked in the kitchen, or to give her an affectionate peck on the cheek, as her adorable smile often tempted him to do. Those had been the happy predictions of their future post-confession, post-taking-her-in-his-arms-and-kissing-her, post-handing-her-his-heart-for-keeps.

He had lost all of that.

Yet, in spite of the ache in his GunSoul, the knight's exhaustion dragged him down, pressing him into his pillow and into his pool of misery until it drowned his wakefulness, forcing him into fitful sleep. _Aleda, I want to find you..._

...

He flew over the sea of stone, scanning below him for any sign of his target. "Aleda?" he called. "Aleda!" The rocks echoed his words. Everything appeared as still and dead as he had last seen it. Perhaps in Lacroa Castle...

_"Zero,"_ resonated a familiar deep voice.

The Winged Knight turned to see the white-plumed Feather Dragon. "Fenn!"

After a brief affectionate nuzzle in Zero's GunSoul, the Spirit rumbled, _"I know where to find her. Follow me, quickly."_

Zero clung to Fenn's flank as the dragon's great wings flapped. They flew quickly, faster than a Gunperry. "Fenn, is it true that Aleda is the Sacred Beast Phoenix?" the Knight Gundam asked as they zipped through the sky.

_"Her scent is close to that of the Phoenix. I do not know for sure what relation they share." _A wingbeat sent ripples through Zero's cape. _"All I know is that she is in danger. The fire element is advantageous to the wind element of Griffin, but Griffin is still a powerful Spirit, and Aleda is inexperienced." _

"Will you help me rescue her?"

_"I can only bring you to her. You must help her yourself. If I could have done it, I would have." _

Zero steeled himself. "Very well. Thank you, friend."

...

Aleda hugged herself as glowing red eyescreens approached. "Have you finally seen the truth, young lady?" Tallgeese purred, "Or will you continue to delude yourself?"

Yellow squares loomed in the darkness, shifting with the shadowed shapes of an army of Pawn Leos surrounding them. The Gundamess, trembling, tried to scoot away, but after a few tugs her legs snagged at the ends of chains. She sent Tallgeese her best brave-front glare. "They're coming to help me. Zero's coming," she insisted.

Tallgeese shook his head. "Poor little lady. You've been abandoned. No one will come for you, least of all Zero."

"You're wrong. He'll come." But, she trembled as the enemy robots neared.

Tallgeese leaned down into her face to sneer, "No, he won't. You know he won't." Aleda curled up, shrinking from the darkness.

Then, a flash of blue light disturbed the shadows. Cries rang as a blue, shining crescent cut the crowd. Through the carved channel, a familiar blue-armored, red-caped Knight Gundam flew towards them, his blue eyes afire. "Aleda!"

Aleda's wings perked. "Zero!" she called back. She tried to stand, but she tripped over the chains. "Zero...!"

Tallgeese chuckled darkly. "So, the knight in shining armor has come to find his toy."

Rage boiled in Zero's eyescreens as he shrieked, "She's not a plaything!" He cut into a Pawn Leo that jumped in front of him.

Tallgeese shrugged. "Oh, really? What more is she to you?"

The whole mass of enemies turned to face Zero, and he resolutely bared his sword. "She is my friend!" he declared. They swarmed, and he flew up to escape. "A very precious friend!" From his sword he cast a blue wave to slice the crowd. Dice clattered to the rocky ground.

"As precious as these 'friends'?" Tallgeese extended his palm, and at his fingertips danced a scene of Zero taking the hand of a violet Gundamess.

"What?!" Zero gasped. "How did you...?! Stop!"

Next flashed an image of Zero liplocked with a rose-colored Gundamess on a balcony of Lacroa Castle, overlooking a star-filled night.

"Aww, isn't that sweet~?" Tallgeese jeered. "What do you think of that, little lady?" he said, and nudged Aleda so roughly that she fell on her face.

"Leave her alone, Tallgeese!" Zero demanded.

Aleda, weighed by a heavy heart, struggled to raise her head. Her captor laughed, "Poor little Gundamess. Such a fool, to fall in love with a womanizing knight! He was not much of a gentleman to lead you on so, was he?"

Zero's GunSoul constricted at the sight of his Little Wing tearing up, her aching heart naked in front of all of those scornful eyes. She curled her arms in front of her face to hide. "That's not it!" he protested. "I've never pretended—!"

Pawn Leos tackled him out of the air. "Aleda!" he cried. Desperately, he thrashed in the crowd, slashing with his sword and hammering with his shield. "Aleda! Don't listen to him!"

Her wings folded, and she lay motionless except for heaves of her shoulders. Shadows honed in, and Tallgeese reached for her.

"Aleda, fight him!" Zero pleaded. "Don't give up! I'm here! I'm coming!" He hacked at the shadows separating them at an accelerating frenzy. Panic held his GunSoul, and looming loss threatened to close in and crush his core at any moment. "Please! I'll tell you everything! _Please!_"

Tallgeese hauled her to her feet. "I have more use for you than the 'Savior of Lacroa,'" he hummed. Aleda pulled against his grip, but the fight in her eyes was too little; he easily kept hold. "He will only desert you. But lend me your powers, Phoenix, and I'll restore your true home."

Fear pierced Zero's GunSoul. "Aledaaaaaaaa!" the Winged Knight screamed as he tore a hole through the shadows. "No!" He rammed a line of minions. "No! Don't you dare! Tallgeese, leave her alone!" More Pawn Leos surged toward him, only to be cut down. He charged forward, wild-eyed, hacking mindlessly at the interceptors. His inner agony split the air with spine-chilling cries. Aleda's eyes widened at the sound of his passionate roars. "I won't let you take her from me!"

"You already did," Tallgeese laughed.

A Pawn Leo cut above Zero's GunSoul, and another punched him down. But, driven by fear for his lady, he immediately bounced up and continued to push against the army. "Aleda! Aleda!"

Tallgeese's hand reached for her GunSoul. "You won't have to hide, anymore," he hissed into her audio.

Zero slashed clinging enemies, but another wave pulled him under. He flailed as he sank in the mob. _I won't make it! _his panicked processor told him. _What can I do? She has to fight him! I have to...!_ A gap in the grey momentarily parted. He snatched at the opening, pushed above the swell, and with a deep breath he threw himself against the crowd and screamed, "I love you!"

Aleda lifted her face.

Zero shoved a Pawn Leo aside. "Aleda, I love you! Don't give up!" he cried again, pushing determinedly towards her. He swiped. "I'm going to save you, I swear, even if it's the last thing I do!" He cut. "Fight him!" Drops sprinkled from the edges of his eyescreens as he slashed. Aleda quivered. "Come home with me! I love you!" He struck another hapless Pawn Leo. "I'll give you a home! I'll give you a family! Please!"

Light returned to her eyes and illuminated her GunSoul. "Zero!" Aleda tugged to free herself. "Zero, I—!"

But Tallgeese clutched her neck, squeezing short her reply. "You're not leaving so easily!"

"Tallgeese!" Zero furiously roared. He flung a hurricane of rose petals that swept aside the remaining swath of Pawn Leos.

Simultaneously, Aleda writhed and flung open her hands, blazing fire. Her captor, consumed in flames, dropped her with a shriek. Then he met his end at the swift cut of the Vatras Sword; his flailing, screaming body stilled.

Having exacted his justice, Zero wheeled to his lady. The shine of his GunSoul glimmered off wet eyescreens, and likewise Aleda's gem beamed like a beacon, calling in the dreary, dim space. In the next moment, Zero had vanished his sword and shield and scooped her into his arms. "Aleda...!"

Aleda hugged him tightly. "Zero, I missed you!"

He enveloped her as if to set his own body as a shield against the Dark Axis. "I missed you, too."

The fire that had incinerated Tallgeese continued to grow; it swept away the Pawn Leos and surged over the Gundams. The couple instinctively flinched, but the firestorm only tickled them and warmed their shaking frames. When the blaze extinguished, it left behind nothing but a quiet, dimly-lit forest surrounding them.

The darkness dissipated. In the shelter of the forest, speckled with evening sun and humming with only the distant din of crickets, the pair held each other, consoling each other and themselves with their touch. "Aleda, my Little Wing, don't go," Zero murmured hoarsely as he cradled her. "Please..." Tears dripped down his face, onto his lady's helmet.

Hearing these words and feeling the drops on her head, Aleda trembled and squeezed her knight tight. "Zero..." Such pain leaked through his voice that she could feel his pain in her own chest: a lump of fear, loss, and guilt. Her eyescreens stinging with tears, she held her beloved protector close to soothe his ache. "I'm here, Zero," she murmured from her liquid-stained mouth. "I'm here."

"My Little Wing, my Aleda..." Zero curled his fingers into the nook below his lady's wings and rubbed the side of his helm against hers, attempting to sate his longing and soothe his fears. "Forgive me," he croaked again into her audio. "I thought he'd kill you if he knew. Please, forgive me. I do love you. I have for so long."

"I love you, too, Zero," Aleda whispered, nuzzling his GunSoul. "I'm fine, now. It's okay." She squeezed, willing his warmth and love and words to soak all the way through to her GunSoul and to infuse fully with her stunned processor. "I won't leave." His embrace stoked the fluttering flames in her energy converter. "I'll stay with you forever." Her fingers felt the grooves of the armor beneath his cape, and when she felt an affectionate rub on the back of her helmet, she too rubbed his back reassuringly. "Thank you for protecting me," she whispered. Fresh moisture pooled into her eyescreens. "Thank you..."

Zero curled around her tighter. He felt the warmth of her GunSoul against his, and the easy pulse of her circuits, both reassurances that she lived and that she, at long last, belonged to him. After a moment of silence, his quivering lips said, "I'll always protect you." Nuzzling the top of her helm, he added, "So please, continue to protect me, too."

She nodded, her faceplate brushing his shoulderguard. Then, she murmured, "Is it over? Can we go home, now?"

Her knight opened his mouth to speak, but then paused and blinked. He suddenly noticed the trees' trunks shifted position from moment to moment, as if they could not retain their form without his gaze holding him. The sunlight, too, seemed brighter than what it should have been in the conquered Lacroa. How was there green again in Lacroa? Actually, how had he even arrived in Lacroa?

His face sank into melancholy for only a moment. Then, he set his mouth in a smile and pulled back enough to see her face, so he could stroke her cheek and remember the shine of her eyes. "Very soon, milady. Very soon," he soothed.

The trees wavered, the skies whitened, and the birdsong faded. The world around them whirled, and each felt themselves pulled upward, as if swept in a current.

...

Aleda awoke to see a gray blur. She brushed tears from her eyes until they cleared enough to make out the stone-cast ceiling of the princess's room. Early-morning light trespassed through the windows. The gold embellishments in the ceiling glinted too brightly, though, for that to be the only source of light. Aleda looked down at her GunSoul, which shone emerald.

_ "I love you!" _

Her quavering hand touched her glowing life force. _Was it real? _she wondered. _His hugs felt real, at least._ A blush covered her faceplate. She turned on her side, holding her heart. _I have to escape. He's waiting for me. _

...

The bright ceiling was a blur. Zero blinked his eyescreens, then rubbed them. With his vision cleared, he could recognize the plain ceiling of his room. "Aleda...?" he murmured instinctively. When he raised his arms, he found them empty. _A dream? _

But, the brightness above projected from his GunSoul: it glowed, still calling to its mate. Zero laid a hand over his shining heart.

_ "I do love you. I have for so long." _

_ "I love you, too, Zero." _

His damp eyescreens leaked another single stream from a corner of his eyescreens. _I really saw her. I told her. She knows, now. _

An itch tickled his chest, and his fingers instinctively probed at his wound. To his surprise, they found a rock-hard bump. Zero, curious, pulled up the electrical tape and saw the only mark left was a round, slightly raised silver lump next to his gem. _It's healed, _he thought in amazement. _Could it have been… her magic…? _He rubbed the scar tissue, which had a consistency of hard rubber, a moment more._ I have yet another thing to thank her for. _His fingers clenched into a fist. _I won't rest until she is safe in my arms. _

_ Aleda, I'm coming for you._

* * *

**Author's Notes**

And there is your sap :) One of many lovey-dovey scenes to come. I started working on this scene months ago, back in November/December (I'm a romantic sap, sorry XD), so it's had a while to (I hope) get good. Let me know how I did: cute, sweet, cringeworthy, d'aww, cliche, or whatever.

I'm not sure what compelled me to make Chief Haro lecture Zero in that one scene. It just happened. Was that scene alright, btw? Did it feel natural, or did it go off on a tangent super quick?

Other challenges included the whole lay vs. lie vs. laid… that's still a grammar rule I'm learning. And also scar tissue. I thought it'd be interesting if the Gundams' nano-repair could cause scabs and/or scars. I tried looking through images and info sites of scars for reference, but besides the grossness of seeing those images I had trouble finding a clear answer about what is likely to happen to a wide puncture wound. I suppose because most humans don't survive those :/ Any insights would be appreciated.

Since I like having some time to tweak and perfect chapters, and this next bit could possibly have major changes from how it went 5 years ago, I'm going to say that Chapter 26 will come in the beginning of July, just fyi. I promise I'll make it worth the wait :)

Thanks to _Titanic X_ as always for reading over the chapter and boosting my confidence XD

I'm excited for coming events! :D This arc wraps up at about Chapter 29-30. Things are about to go fast, so hold on tight!

-Penelopi

P.S. Brownie points if you figure out the reference behind the title. ;)


	26. Taking Care of Business

**Author's Notes**

I said the beginning of July, so it's about time to deliver. Here it is!

It's a more reasonable size than most chapters have been, lately. Downside is that we're still doing build-up instead of getting to the action. I'll try to keep the next chapter a good size, too, but we'll see, because the action starts then, and there will be a lot to cover.

I enjoyed writing this chapter, though. Especially the first parts. :) I love writing villains~

**Warning**

The aftermath of abuse is shown in this chapter.

**Copyright Info**

SD Gundam Force is produced by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Miku, Mary, James, Dominic, Abigail (Abby), Titan, and Myles. (Did I get everyone?!)

* * *

**Chapter 26: Taking Care of Business**

Aleda, seated on her cot, stared intently at the space between her hands, where a ball of fire swirled. She opened her palms and rolled it between them, back and forth, like a rippling slinky.

"Well, well."

She squeaked and jolted, a terrified shudder rippling through her spine, and the flame snuffed.

"Oh, I'm sorry~" cooed a nasally voice. A ghostly, crackling being with white dots for eyes circled in front of her. "I didn't mean to startle you out of your little game, Spirit Girl. It was looking quite interesting."

"Who are you?" Aleda demanded, recoiling.

"You can call me Deathscythe," the intruder sneered. "I'm an important person in these parts."

"You work for Tallgeese."

"'Lord' Tallgeese, you mean?"

Aleda flinched, pressing her back into the princess's stone bed.

The ethereal creature laughed. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to punish you for that. I'm just here to learn something..." His voice lowered as his sentence trailed off, and Aleda sucked in her breath as he leaned close to her face.

No pupils showed in those beady eyes. She stayed still as the petrified world around her while he stared. Was he looking at her eyes? Her wings? Her chest? Those empty dots gave no clue. She almost jumped when he finally hummed, "Hmm... Interesting..."

He slowly withdrew. Though expressionless, Aleda heard a smirk in his voice, "I wanted to know whether you were truly the Sacred Beast Phoenix or not. I hunted her for a long time, you see."

Deathscythe paused, as if awaiting a response. But Aleda, too afraid to move, waited rigidly, her audio receptors tuned to every sound of his.

Finally, Deathscythe huffed. "Hmph. You're not."

The Gundamess blinked. "What?"

"You're not the Spirit Phoenix," he restated, drifting back from her. "You are quite similar, yes, especially in your aura, but you are not the Sacred Beast." He rose and slowly circled above her, as if to observe her from all sides. "It is too much to be a coincidence. But, still, not quite the genuine thing. A shame, really. I searched for two years, but Phoenix has proved elusive for me. She is quite good at concealing her aura, after all."

"Then... what does that mean? Tallgeese thinks I'm the Phoenix."

Deathscythe chuckled. "It may be problematic for you if he learns the truth. He would have less of a reason to keep you alive. But, I don't intend to tell him."

"You won't?"

"Oh, no~" Surely, he was grinning behind that non-existent face. "I am perfectly fine with Lord Tallgeese focusing his attention on you for a while. Let him waste his time persuading a fake Phoenix to give him her non-existent powers. It gives me more freedom to move as I please." His white eyes flattened into what seemed a gleeful expression. "And I know you wouldn't dare tell Lord Tallgeese that you are a decoy, because you know that would greatly increase your chances of being sent to the Dark Axis. I hear they don't treat Gundams very nicely there—actually, I know they don't~"

Her cooling fans accelerated as she tried to fight the fear and maintain a straight face against the faceless monster.

Deathscythe scoffed. "I'm a little disappointed. I'd heard that the Winged Knight Zero had found another lady. I do find you less interesting than the previous ones."

"You knew Zero? Before the invasion?"

"Yes, I did."

Aleda squinted. "He never said he knew you."

"Oh, he doesn't know anyone by the name 'Deathscythe,'" he drawled. "But, I know him. I know him all too well~" His cloudlike body shifted so his eyes faced the door. "Farewell, young lady of the Winged Knight. Good luck in your efforts," he said as he floated away. But, he paused one last time, just on the inside of the door. "Oh, but please do find the Feather Dragon. I want that one, too, and I know it trusts you. I may kill you myself if you fail to bring it."

Then, he phased through the door and vanished. Aleda shuddered.

For a while, she listened to the silence—momentarily broken by the distant echoes of flight booster blips, grating rock, and clunking feet—and traced the patterns of the frozen carpet. Her CPU drafted plans of how she and Miku could escape, at night when their captors were asleep, by flying away. Surely she could destroy any Pawn Leos before they could sound the alarm? By the way, where was Miku? Last night, her screams had echoed through the castle. Aleda hugged herself.

A knock came, and her breath seized. Silently, breathlessly, she waited. And no one spoke. "... Yes?" she at last dared to say.

Another knock was the reply.

Tensing, she rose, floated to the door, and pulled it open.

A faceless blue robot was waiting outside, glancing about as much as he could without outright moving his feet. His blank facescreen locked onto her as she pried the door open.

"H-Hello?" Aleda began.

"I need you to come with me," Vayeate said.

"Why?" She inched back.

"Just come."

"Where's Tallgeese?"

"Sleeping." Vayeate pushed the door further. "Hurry, come. Quietly. Don't ask questions."

Hope zapped through the Gundamess's circuits. An escape, perhaps? She nodded and floated through.

Vayeate closed the door, cursing under his breath the gravelly noise that rumbled through the hall. Aleda hovered, waiting, and once he had the door shut, she followed him. They passed the nobles' halls, with tall windows, rosette-studded ceiling crown molding, gold doorknobs, and many intricate—but now grey—tapestries, soon weaving into smaller passages with low ceilings, plain walls, and wooden knobs. Servants' quarters? Aleda, too fearful to break the silence, kept the questions in her processor.

Finally, Vayeate paused at a side-door and knocked. A moan sounded, and a couple of clunks. Then a crash.

Vayeate yanked the door open, cracking its hinge. "Miku?!"

Aleda gasped: the Arkian lay collapsed on the floor with an unnatural dip in her helm and marked punctures in her armguards. Miku's frame rattled as she, unsuccessfully, tried to move. Aleda rushed to her side. "What did you do?!" she demanded the Knight of Storms. She gingerly touched the maid's cracked shoulder.

"I did nothing!" he snarled as he bent down and lifted the wounded Gundamess. Broken chest armor pieces crinkled as she rolled into his arm cradle. Vayeate's face escaped the shaft of light in the doorway as he carried her towards a low cot. "It wasn't me. I would never do this to her!" Aleda, GunSoul pounding, tagged Vayeate closely.

"Wh...y...?" Seconds passed before Aleda recognized the weak voice as Miku's. "Why did you... bring her...?" she croaked.

"I brought her to heal you," Vayeate said. He laid her gently on the cot "The Sacred Beast Phoenix is known for healing magic."

Aleda bit her lip.

"I heal... on my own," Miku rasped.

"She will heal you quicker." Vayeate locked gazes with the Lady Gundamess and gestured to their patient. "Please, heal her, or she won't be able to withstand Lord Tallgeese's demands today. He'll be angry with her if there's no food when he wakes up."

Aleda crouched beside the cot and touched Miku's helm. Brown eyes rolled and closed, while the blue glow of Aleda's magic ignited. The Arkian's frown relaxed, though she stubbornly held the vestiges of irritation.

"Leave some of the marks if you can," Vayeate implored. "It would be suspicious if they disappeared completely."

Aleda's eyescreens gleamed with the shine of her magic as she concentrated on the flow of energy and the inner workings of her fellow Gundamess. She was not the Sacred Beast Phoenix, but nonetheless she could see and mend the tears in her new friend, like a seamstress patching torn clothes, swiftly, precisely. It would be enough.

Once joints and wires were reconnected, leaks plugged, and pain numbed, Aleda cut the magic flow. "How do you feel?"

"Much better." Miku peeled her frame from the cot and rolled to her knees. "I can work, now. Thanks."

Her words had not assuaged the younger Gundamess's fears. "Don't push yourself too far. It's only a small fix. If you stress your body too much, you could hurt yourself."

Miku just smiled as she rose to her feet.

The flap of a cape drew Aleda's attention to Vayeate, who had turned for the door. "I'll take you back, now," he said.

Aleda stood. "'Bye, Miku."

"See you later, kid." Miku absentmindedly rubbed the broken edges of her chest armor.

The two Lacroans flitted out.

After a turn, Vayeate whispered, "You won't tell Lord Tallgeese anything about this."

She nodded. "I promise, I won't."

"Or Mercurius."

She blinked. So the other twin had not been in on it. "Okay…"

For a while, they traveled in silence. Then Aleda mustered up the courage to ask, "Why did you help Miku, if you could get in trouble with Ta—Lord Tallgeese?"

His blue face burned violet. "We need her for housework."

"But, he'll... he'll hurt her again, won't he?" Aleda whispered.

"It can't be helped," Vayeate said quickly. "It's all he knows. He was raised under…less than desirable circumstances. Now, quiet. We don't want anyone to hear us."

Aleda watched the floor as they resumed their low flight. They continued in silence all the way to the princess's room.

Vayeate shoved the door open. "Farewell, Lady."

She slipped through the gap, but before Vayeate could close the door, Aleda asked, "What do you mean by Tallgeese not being raised the best?"

Vayeate looked down the corridor, then turning back to her, said, "Pirates captured him and his parents when he was small. They killed his parents and enslaved him. He learned how to fight dirty to survive."

"How did he become a knight, then?"

The blue knight weaseled himself inside the room and closed the door as he continued, "He was resourceful. He escaped the pirates when he was twelve, and then he found someone who trained him to become a knight. Lord Tallgeese was successfully knighted, and this encouraged him to aspire to the rank of Royal Knight. But, then…"

"They said no."

Vayeate nodded. "The leader of the Royal Knights, Sir Rock, rejected him for his lack of Gundam heritage."

Her wingtips perked in surprise. "Really? Rock said that?"

"No, but isn't it obvious? All of the five Royal Knights were Gundams," he said. Aleda dropped her gaze, her mind churning over this new information as Vayeate continued, "After that refusal, Lord Tallgeese threw aside chivalry and honor as defined by the kingdom. He had followed civil ways, and they had betrayed him, so he in turn betrayed them."

"But why did you join him?" Aleda asked, raising her eyes.

"My brother and I were also trampled upon by the class system, so we joined with Lord Tallgeese to fight for our due rights and to rebuild Lacroa into a kingdom where all robots have opportunities."

"But, a lot of people died. They were wrong, but—"

"They denied us honor," Vayeate interrupted with a glare. "We deserved more. We deserved all the privileges of Gundams. We did not deserve to be oppressed and downtrodden or to be born into lives of poverty!"

Aleda winced at his shout but said, "Maybe when Lacroa is de-petrified, we can change that… If you help Miku, me, and the Gundam Force, then... then I'm sure when Zero saves Lacroa, the king will listen to him and help you, right?"

Vayeate laughed. "If you do win and Lacroa is de-petrified, and the human monarchy revived, then all of us traitors will be executed. Make no mistake of that." Aleda gaped at the knight as he retreated through the ajar door. "I don't know how war is in your dimension, but in ours, it's unforgiving. One side or the other must be punished. And, sorry, young lady, but I don't want to die, so I won't help you or your friends against Lord Tallgeese."

Slam! The grey door shut in her face.

"But... how could you do this to Miku?" Aleda whispered aloud. "How?"

...

A young brunette woman swung her legs out of the car. Her flats planted on the driveway and, after the car door slammed, carried her through the open garage. With a raised eyebrow, she noted two readied suitcases against the wall. "Is someone going on a trip?" she muttered to herself. Her flats began to ascend the short stairs to the inner door, but something at eye level caught her gaze: a round mirror framed a stained face. Darker, shinier skin stretched over the left cheek and upper lip.

Abigail Vaughn scowled for a moment, then opened the door and stepped in.

The kitchen was spotless—not even a single pot or pan lay in the sink—but the living room was unkempt: a book on the floor, a shirt draped over the couch, and a stain on the carpet spoke of careless haste. Abby frowned.

From upstairs, she heard the residents calling to each other. "—I'm sorry, there's no time to go out to eat! You'll have to find something in the pantry!" "It's fine! We can cook while you're gone!" "Myles is almost here!" "Someone just parked in the driveway!"

Blond James Vaughn jogged down the stairs. Upon spotting the young woman, he started, then grinned. "Abby, good to see you!" he greeted, giving her a hug.

"Hey, Dad," she said, hugging him back.

"You decided to come, huh?"

They pulled apart, and Abby frowned. "What's going on? Are you leaving?"

"For a bit. We were wondering if you could watch your younger siblings while we're gone."

"How long will you be out?"

His grin faded. "We don't know, yet. It's..." He hesitated, sighed, then said, "It's about Aleda."

"What did she do, now?" Abby grumbled.

"We don't know if she did anything wrong. But, we've noticed she met those people who studied her years ago. They say they have something important to tell us."

"You're seriously going? What if they just want to get something out of you?" Abby demanded.

Loud patters interrupted his reply. Father and daughter rushed across the living room to the window to see a large, boxy aircraft lower itself in the back lawn. "That's probably our ride," James noted.

"Oh my gosh! Dom, let's go!" came a voice upstairs. Mary Vaughn jogged downstairs, her brown light curls bobbing. A young man wearing thin glasses descended after her. "Oh, Abby! Good to see you!" Mary cried. Her son's mouth curled in disgust, and he looked away, hiding his instinctive glare.

Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Mary smiled at her eldest daughter and rushed into a quick hug. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could stay and visit with you, but we have to go, they're waiting!" she babbled.

"But, Mom—"

"Dominic, let's take the suitcases out," James said.

"Alright." Dominic swept past without sparing another glance at his sister.

"What if they don't let you go?" Abby questioned as she followed her family out the garage and around back. James pulled a suitcase across the grass, and Dominic carried two. "What if they hold you hostage until they figure out where she came from, or—?!"

James slowed his stride to speak, "That won't happen. I promise."

Ahead of them, Mary stretched out her hand, and Dom passed the handle of the burgundy luggage case to her. The Gunperry's side folded out into a ramp.

"Dad—"

A woman with dark hair in a pixie cut and a visor over her face poked her head out the open door of the aircraft. She pushed the visor up to reveal kind blue eyes. "Mrs. Vaughn, I presume?" she greeted Mary politely.

Mary forced a smile. "Yes."

"My name is Juli. Good to meet you, ma'am. Step on in. And this is...?"

"My son, Dominic. He wanted to come, too."

"That should be fine." Juli waved them aboard. "Find a seat… Mr. Vaughn!" she called. "Please come aboard! We need to leave on schedule!"

"Why is she in a hurry?" Abby asked.

"Because they're coordinating with Air Traffic Control," James answered. He pecked Abby on the cheek. "Take care, hun. We'll be back in just a few days."

His daughter sucked in her protest as he dragged his suitcase to the Gunperry.

"What's going on?!" called a male voice. Thunk-thunk-thunk! Abby turned as a racing mobile citizen braked next to her. "Where are they going?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's something about Aleda." Abby crossed her arms.

The robot ran to the chopper, and James, spotting him, stopped midway up the plank. "Myles?"

"What happened?" Myles demanded. "Where is Ally?"

James's jaw tightened. "We don't know. That's what we're going to find out."

"Then please, take me with you."

"I don't think it's a good idea. It seems to be complicated, so we'll probably be gone for a while. You'd miss a lot of work."

"I'll tell my appointments that I have an emergency."

"I don't know if mobile citizens can have sick leave for—"

"It's already done. I just e-mailed my clients for this week."

James dragged a hand down his face. "Good Tesla..."

"Please, Mr. Vaughn."

The man turned to Juli. "Is it alright?"

The operator smiled. "He already knows about Aleda's background, so it should be no problem."

"Thank you," Myles said. "It means a lot to me."

"Sure. Everyone aboard!" Juli ushered them.

James and Myles stepped on. "I'm sorry that I didn't tutor Via, today," the mobile citizen apologized as the ramp lifted behind them. "I'll give a free makeup session when we return."

But James pat him on his padded shoulder. "It's alright, Myles. Thanks for coming. It'll mean a lot to her to see you."

Myles nodded. "I hope so." His CPU cycled through soured memories. "I hope so..."

...

Zero entered the kitchen. "Good morning, Bakunetsumaru," he said.

"Gum morn'n, Sero," Baku mumbled around his riceball. He happily continued munching until his friend had disappeared behind the refrigerator door. Suddenly, he spat, "Zero! What are you doing out of bed?!"

Rice pelleted the refrigerator door. With a raised eyebrow, Zero peered over his shield. "What are you complaining about, now, samurai?"

Baku jabbed a finger. "You were barely able to stand, yesterday! How are you prancing around now like Entengo?!"

Zero ducked to grab a chilled leftover casserole: an instant meal stored for emergencies, which had been dipped into the night before. "Aleda healed me."

"I don't get it. She's not here!"

The door slammed shut. "We synchronized, and we were able to communicate in our sleep." Zero floated to the table with the plastic-wrapped tray in hand.

Another Gundam blipped into the kitchen in his navy-blue frame. Titan's hazel eyes stared, astounded, at the other Knight Gundam, just as Baku snorted, "So, wait, you're saying that you two are so in love you found each other in your dreams?"

The Winged Knight blushed and raised his chin. "Is it so hard to believe? I am charming enough that drawing her GunSoul across dimensions should be possible."

"You spoke with her?" Titan interrupted, yanking their eyes to him. He floated nearer. "Do you know where she is?"

Zero's eyes dodged. "Not precisely," he answered. "She is still Tallgeese's captive, but she is unharmed. I believe he's trying to persuade her to become his Summon Spirit. She knows, though, that I'm coming for her." Grinning, he spun around to show the easy twist of his torso—and his cape slapped the riceball right out of Baku's hand. "Gah!" "—As you can see, I'm fully healed. I believe her fire magic cured me."

"The rejuvenating flames of the Phoenix. It makes sense," Titan hummed.

Baku sniveled as he collected the splattered onigiri from the floor. "Zero, watch where your cape is going! You knocked over my riceball!" he yelled.

The accused turned his head, sending said cape flapping behind him. "I did no such thing! An elegant knight such as myself is never so clumsy by accident!" he gloated.

Baku sprang up, fury overtaking his faceplate. "Then it was on purpose!"

Zero lifted his nose. "Hmph. I—"

The sliding hiss of the kitchen door preceded a frantic cry, "Guys! Zero's not...!" They all looked to Shute, who stopped beside Captain to gawk at their knightly comrade. "...not...there..."

Captain waved with a smile. "Good morning, Zero. You seem to be feeling better."

"Good morning, Captain."

"Wait, Captain, how is he fixed, already?!"

"The probability that magic was involved is 99.78 percent," the Neotopian Gundam answered.

Before Shute could finish pondering this miracle, a klaxon sounded, jolting the whole gathering._ "Alert! The Dark Axis has been detected in sector J234! All personnel at their stations! Again, Dark Axis attack imminent in sector J234!" _

"There is our chance," Titan said, turning.

"Let us not waste it." Dropping the cold casserole on the table, Zero zipped passed Captain and Shute as the Gundam Force began to rush out.

"Yeah, it's magic do-hickey," Baku said to their bewildered human. "That's all you need to know."

"Okay." Shute jogged to keep pace with his robotic friends, whooping, "Let's go get 'em!"

...

Small knuckles rapped on the door. Gentle, considerate raps. Aleda flew to answer. Sure enough, it was Miku. In spite of her quiet movements, the Arkian's eyes glittered with excitement. She wordlessly entered, and as soon as she and Aleda moved into the center of the room, she hissed, "I got a letter!"

Aleda blinked. "A letter?"

"Yes! We could be out of here by midnight!"

Aleda covered her faceplate to conceal a squeal of delight. "Show me," she breathed eagerly, dragging Miku further in, to the bathroom and the linen closet. Once they were safely inside, shut in with only a magic wisp for a light, Miku handed her the note.

_"To the imprisoned within Lacroa Castle,_

_I beg forgiveness for my intrusion as you slept, but as I am sure you understand, we must retain secrecy. We have noticed your predicament and hope to aid you. Spread the word to any you find trustworthy that, at midnight, a black Gundam will appear in the kitchen. We request you to bring any food that you can." _

"It's unsigned," Aleda noted when she angled the bottom edge toward the light.

"That's understandable," Miku said. "He doesn't want Tallgeese to know who he's up against if the note is found."

"Are you sure it's real? Where did you find it?"

"I found it this morning," Miku answered amiably. "It was hidden under my mattress with my gun-knife thing."

"'Gun-knife thing'?"

"I made it with bits of metal and such. Ground the gunpowder myself and put a mini-bayonet on the front. I'm pretty pleased with it."

"Ah..."

"It's as real as any letter I ever saw. This is definitely not the handwriting of any of our jailers. Our anonymous friend probably slipped it in last night while we were sleeping. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I couldn't talk about it with Vayeate in the room."

"So…"

"So now I'll go pack away some food in a bag while you burn the letter. And then after I pack the food, you can make it disappear with magic until we need it, right?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, then I'll get to work." Miku edged the closet door open and flashed Aleda a grin. "Meet me in the kitchen after Tallgeese and the twins are asleep."

"How will we know they're sleeping?"

The grin curled mischievously. "Oh, I'll make sure they'll drink enough to sleep through a dragon brawl~! See you tonight!" She pushed the door shut behind her.

Aleda, amazed, reread the note a last time before muttering, "Well, I guess I should get started." She snapped her fingers, igniting a flame.

...

Within the dark confines of the Dark Axis's central chamber, where a hovering dark magic circle served as a visual portal, Gerbera spoke again to a Lacroan. But this time, Tallgeese's crested mug faced him on the other side, and he was _annoyingly_ nonchalant, waving that feather around like a fan.

_"I'm surprised that you are calling, instead of that Commander Sazabi," _Tallgeese hummed. _"You are certainly less intimidating." _

"He is occupied at the moment to prepare for more _important_ things," Professor Gerbera quipped. "I assure you that I am of enough stature to stand in his place."

Tallgeese chuckled. _"My apologies, Professor Gerbera of Great Stature. Please continue." _

"I'm going to make this brief. You are supposed to be looking for a way to de-petrify the Spirit Tree. Instead, I hear that you are kidnapping and hiding female Gundams from us." His single eye flashed. "Is this true?"

_"I have no intention of hiding anything, professor," _Tallgeese cooed. _"I took a hostage with the intention to draw out the Feather Dragon, which is key to de-petrifying the Spirit Tree. I intend to keep her imprisoned here until I have results." _

"This Gundamess will draw out the Spirit?"

_"Yes. It is familiar with her and trusts her. Once it knows she is threatened, I have no doubt it will come."_

"And what after?"

_"Why, I will of course turn her over to the Dark Axis, like all of other Gundams I have found in Lacroa." _

"Good. Thank you for clarifying. Carry out your plan."

_"I will keep the Dark Axis informed, professor."_

With a nod from Tallgeese, the screen blanked. Then, it flashed to show a set of massive fuchsia thrusters. _"Yes, the Horn of War will be planted right there, at the hub of the city," _Sazabi was saying, gesturing to an obscured point on a viewscreen beyond his frame.

"Commander," Gerbera began.

The thrusters turned around to show Commander Sazabi's jagged faceplate. _"Yes, Professor Gerbera?"_

"Tallgeese's actions are suspicious."

_"Affirmative. I`ll take care of it." _

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**

Poor Miku :( She's been through a lot. Hopefully, she won't have to suffer for much longer.

The odd relationship between Miku and Vayeate will unfold in further chapters. Just wait until the whole thing's played out before making any conclusions.

And yes, I did make a reference there to the upcoming invasion of Neotopia :)

Next chapter should be out in the end of July/beginning of August.

-Penelopi


	27. Ultimatum

**Author's Notes**

Okay, so I broke both promises...

It's mid-August...

...and this is a super-long chapter. I am so sorry.

I ended up not cutting much of anything from that 6-page fight scene near the beginning like I planned to. Maybe if I had another day or two I could rewrite it, but I'm about to go on a family trip to a place with no wifi, so I want to get this up for you guys tonight. You all have waited long enough.

I was very determined to get up to the scene at the end (which I had planned to have happen at the end of Chapter 26 before I realized it was getting too long), and that's why this chapter is so darned long.

Lots of stuff is happening at once. I hope I've kept it all straight. Let me know how I did!

Also, many of you are probably wondering about the job-hunt and how things are going to go with this fic once the school year starts.

Well, in all honesty, I don't know, yet, because... I haven't gotten hired, yet. Been looking for teacher assistant positions because I need a bit more practical experience before I manage 20+ little guys every day on my own. I've applied online and handed in my resume in-person to over 30 public schools in three districts, and I've only had a total of 5 interviews the whole summer. None have called me back, though I've been calling them. And every county will have started school by September 8th. It's been rough, and between this job hunt mire and last spring's struggles I've been questioning a lot about myself.

The most pressing deadlines right now are my student loans that I have to start paying back in December and upcoming insurance loss. I'm lucky that my parents are able to house and feed me, but the loans and extra insurance would still be big costs for them, and my part-time tutoring money can't cover those. Any prayers, well-wishes, or handy tips for my situation would be appreciated.

I'll still try to keep a once-a-month or so update rate the best I can during my job hunt. Next one should be mid-September. Thank you so much for bearing with me and for continuing to read my stories. :) I know not many choose to comment, but I do see the view numbers here and in DA. It's really encouraging to know that even with all the things I screw up I can do something well that people enjoy.

And thank you, _Titanic X_, for reading over my super-long and super-late chapters :_

-Penelopi

(And why is this all before the chapter and not in Author's Notes after it? Because, on top of all of my other troubles, my desktop's monitor just decided to stop working tonight and the browser of my tablet crashes whenever I try to add to the length of this document in FanFiction . net's editor :/ Good times.)

**Copyright Info**

SD Gundam Force is produced by Sunrise and Bandai. My OCs in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Miku, and Ace. (Oh, wow, we slimmed it down a bunch for this one, didn't we?)

* * *

**Chapter 27: Ultimatum**

Zero and Bakunetsumaru dropped first from the Gunperry. Or, rather, flew. Zero carried Baku closer to the gleaming portal in the distance, while their ride turned back. The other Gunperrys would soon discharge their own passengers. Below them, a road of wires led to a blocky building caged by electric towers. "They're attacking a power plant, this time," Zero mumbled.

"What's a power plant?" Baku asked.

"In Neotopia, power plants generate the energy needed for all of the citizens' machinery."

Titan, having leapt from another Gunperry, edged close to them with his flight boosters. "That is not a power plant but an electric substation," he said. "It alters the electricity before it enters the city so that it is compatible with electric devices. Its loss would still mean a loss of power. I've seen humans in panic during temporary 'outages.' If the Dark Axis destroys this facility, reliable power could be lost for weeks while they rebuild it. Neotopia would be chaos."

"We'll stop them before they can destroy it," Zero said.

"And we'll sneak on their ship! Ready to see your girlfriend?" Baku remarked to his Lacroan friend with a grin.

Before Zero could retort, a familiar jetpack-wearing Gundam zipped past them. "They're coming out of the Zakorello Gate!" Captain said at the point of their formation.

The Komusai snaked out the portal and descended on the substation. "Should we enter the portal now?" Zero asked, watching anxiously as the purple hole began to shrink.

"Negative," Captain said. "For now, we engage the enemy and defend Neotopian citizens. They'll reopen the portal eventually when they retreat, and then we will hide on the ship." He angled to follow the Dark Axis ship. "Besides, the portal will close in less than ten seconds. You can't make it."

Zero begrudgingly sighed, "Very well."

An enthusiastic yodel—and a terrified shriek—sounded as the final SDG passengers jumped from their aircraft. Gunbike, with a screaming Shute inside, sailed to the ground. "Hasn't he learned from last time?" Zero scoffed.

"Will Shute be okay?" Baku asked.

Captain said, "He'll be safe. Gunbike would never do something to endanger Shute."

"Are you sure?"

The Komusai squeezed into the grounds of the substation complex by wiggling under the cables, and it planted its tripedal landing gear on the concrete pavement. From the belly of the ship poured the three one-eyed Dark Axis squad leaders and their mob of Zakos.

"Alright, you tin cans!" Zapper began as he he sauntered onto the pavement. "Let's get started smashing—ah!" He was met by a faceful of violet laser shots. "Woah, woah, hang on!" Many protests of "zako!" rang as he and the others backpedaled from the beam rifle fire. "We haven't even fired, yet!"

"Past encounters strongly suggest that you will. We are merely taking proactive measures," Captain explained as he wheeled to a stop before them.

"We haven't even gotten everyone out of the ship, yet! Hold on!"

Behind Zapper's frame, Grappler waved at the Zakos. "Spread out!" Dozens of small feet scampered, and Dom raised a bazooka in each hand.

Zero dumped Baku on his feet and lifted a hand to the skies while Titan pulled three shields from the air. "Oh, Mana!"

Gunbike leapt over the station's chain link fence and pulled a tire-screeching brake. "Get ready, cheerleader!" he hollered to his passenger. "I'll help you dodge the pot-shots!" Shute nodded.

"Fire!" Zapper said, jabbing at the line of Gundams. "I don't care what you hit, as long as it isn't me! Make an explosion!"

"Dom destroy!" Dom launched a missle from each bazooka, laughing.

Titan set his hand-held shields forward and enclosed his company in a bright energy dome. The missile blasts bounced off into an adjacent raised power line. Sparks fritzed, and cables melted.

Shute leaned up and twisted in his seat to see a black blot in the city behind him. "Guys! The power's going out over there!"

"Everyone, close in!" Captain cried.

Zero swooped at Zapper Zaku, who brought up his axe just in time to catch a sword swing. Captain Gundam zoomed his sights on Grappler Gouf. Titan locked eyes on an equally bulky opponent, who had turned to fish through an odd yellow trailer. "Oh, no, you don't!" The Knight Gundam charged in.

Bakunetsumaru, left with no other enemy, charged into the cluster of Zakos. "You think you can win with numbers? I'll show you, you cowards!"

"Get 'em, guys!" Shute shouted.

Zero pressed down on his foe, and Zapper's gears strained to keep his joints from giving way. His legs began to shake. Finally, Zero gave him one last shove to throw him on his back and zoomed next to Grappler.

The cobalt robot found himself under a barrage of both Zero's sword jabs and Captain's laser beams. "They've gone nuts!" he cried in bewilderment.

"Your ally Tallgeese has taken Aleda!" Zero growled. "I won't leave your actions unpunished!"

"Tallgeese?!" Grappler ducked a wooshing swing. "I had nothing to do with that! I don't even talk to the guy!"

But Zero only heard Aleda's voice, whispering, _"Can we go home, now?"_

"Guilty by association!" he growled as he relentlessly continued his jabs.

Meanwhile, Baku was slashing, twirling, and deflecting bullets from the Zakos. One green soldier latched on him from behind and began to beat his helmet with his gun. "Ow! Why, you little—!" Baku thrashed about to dislodge his attacker and lashed at others who rushed to dogpile him.

Captain, hearing his Musha friend's cries, turned from Grappler. "Hold still!" he ordered.

Baku froze, wide-eyed. A beam hit the piggybacking Zako's face and knocked him off. "I could have done that myself…" the embarrassed warrior grumbled.

"I saw that! Very ungraceful," chided Zero in the midst of his sword patty-cake with Grappler.

"You're one to talk, with how sloppy _your_ attacks are!" countered Baku.

"I may be in a hurry, but my moves are as elegant as ever!" Zero said. He sent a Lacroan Crescent smashing through Grappler and Zakos like a bowling ball. "Behold!"

"Heh. Sure, if you mean elegant like a Zako!"

"Zero! Bakunetsumaru! You two gotta stop fighting and focus on the mission!" Shute called.

"We're not fighting!" the two Gundams snapped.

Captain, noticing Titan wrestling with Destroyer Dom next to a yet intact transformer—the Gallop by the Komusai had been left ajar, many missiles, blades, and guns spilled across the concrete—decided to slide in range. "Mind if I join in?" he said, with what Titan could have sworn was a smirk.

"Not—urk!—at all," the navy-blue Gundam said as he pressed, hand-to-hand, straining against the purple robot and reaching for a bazooka held at arms-length. "This one is a handful."

"Please retreat a safe distance," Captain said. "I wouldn't want to accidentally hit you."

Titan, grunting, willed two of his shields to buzz around the Dark Axis brute.

"Duh...?" Dom's eye shifted to follow them. After a revolution around, they clapped him from each side. "Uhhh!"

Titan shot backward on his flight boosters, and with a wave of his hand the shields released and flew to their master. Captain aimed at the swaying, dazed robot.

"Look out, Captain!"

Shute's voice yanked his attention to a missile flying in from another direction. Captain threw up his shield. But before it could connect, another barrier spun into the shot. Titan's tall navy shield flashed once and dropped with a deep bowl holding the missile in its center.

"You owe me for covering your frame, Dom!" Grappler said behind his smoking arm missile-launcher. His detached forearm slid down and sealed the hole with a click. "Used up my only missile!"

Captain said to Titan, "Thank you."

"I know from personal experience what those do." Titan snatched the third shield from his back to replace his lost one. "Let's finish this, quickly."

Behind them, close to the edge of the paved courtyard, Shute urged his ride, "Gunbike, can you get closer? I need to be able to cheer on Captain."

"Sure thing. Hold on ta yer seat, kid!"

Captain heard the motor and spared a glance over his shoulder at the approaching sentient motorbike. "Titan, you take care of Grappler Gouf."

"Yes, sir." Titan flew to the cobalt-blue robot.

"Haha. Ready or not, here I come~" Dom leveled his bazooka at Captain Gundam. The target sped his treads, and Dom's wide nozzle followed.

Shute cupped his hands and yelled to his friend, "Don't let him catch you!"

Captain wove erratically, first under an awning there, then turning on a concrete slab here, and winding around a pole across the yard. "Stay still!" Dom whined as he tried to aim his sights.

"I don't understand why you make this request when you know the chances of my compliance are 0%."

"Duh…That is good question," Dom said, lifting his trigger-finger.

Captain skid to a stop in front of him. "Technically, it was not a question, but a statement."

Steam blew out of Dom's helmet, and he stomped the ground in a fit. "Question, statement, same thing! Why you always have to make things complicated?!"

"Actually, there is a difference. A question is—"

"Gundam no answer!" Dom re-aimed his bazooka. "Gundam go boom!"

"Thank you for the perfect shot." Captain fired his beam rifle straight into the nozzle of the bazooka. BOOM! When the smoke cleared, Dom's head and right shoulder were soot-black. The bulky robot coughed up ashy puffs. "Is that 'boom' enough for you?" Captain asked smugly.

"*K-Hac-Hack!* Yes, Gundam boom good…" Dom wheezed. He collapsed on his back.

"Yes!" Shute cheered with a fist-pump.

Grappler leapt back from a swing of Titan's shield. "Dom's down!" he shouted to Zapper.

"You—gah!—You deal with it!" Zapper grunted as he attempted to fend off Zero's sword with his axe. "I'm trying to deal with pansy boy here!"

At that, Zero sneered, "I am a pansy, you say?" He shoved the axe and the squad leader so hard that Zapper stumbled. "I'll give you pansies!" With a wave of his sword, pansies sprouted from Zapper's helmet, his shoulders, his hands, his legs, his stomach. Pansies continued to pop up in every cranny as Zapper gave a horrified scream and threw himself to the ground.

The Dark Axis 'bot rolled and thrashed about on the grass like a fish out of water. "Organic… organic! Organic things on my armor! GET IT OFF!"

"Woah," Shute said in awe. "That's worse than anything he's done to Baku."

Said samurai gulped from atop a pile of defeated Zako.

Captain stepped towards Grappler, his gun's sights locked onto the blue robot. "Your teammates have been incapacitated," he stated. "Will you surrender?"

"I think I'll go for…" Gouf suddenly lashed with his grappling hook. "...a tactical retreat!"

Captain brought up his shield to defend, and the claw bounced off harmlessly, but when he lowered it to see again, Gouf was already halfway to Zapper.

Zapper spotted his fellow Axis member in his field of vision. "Grappler, please! Get them off me-ee!" he sobbed.

"After we get back to the Komusai! Come on!" Gouf said impatiently, yanking him to his feet and dragging him along. He glanced back and saw the Gundam Force slinking towards them, sliding around the edges of the buildings within the complex as if to use them for cover. That was odd for them. But now was not the time to dwell on it. Grappler called to the Komusai and the remaining Zakos aboard, "Give us some cover-fire, will ya?!"

The ship rained bullets on the Gundams, and they broke their approach to dodge. Baku swung into the shadow of a one-story. "What do we do?!"

"We have to get closer…!" Zero began to peel away from his building to make a dash for it, but Captain latched onto his foot.

"Don't do anything hasty," Captain chided. "We have to come up with a plan."

"Captain, a lot of you guys have shields," Shute chimed in.

Titan smirked and edged forward. "He's right. We can form a shield wall."

"Good idea," Captain said.

As the Gundam Force plotted, the Dark Axis horde slipped into the lift. Zapper was still dancing and fidgeting from the itchy flowers as the lift rose into the ship. He flung himself down and rubbed against the floor in a desperate quest for relief right before the Komusai swallowed them.

"We gotta get to the Komusai _now!_" Baku shouted above the roar of gunfire; he, Shute, and Gunbike huddled behind the group's three shield-bearers. Their group was crawling toward the ship, much too slowly.

"Come on, Captain!" Shute yelled. "We have a deadline! Break through them!"

Captain's eyescreens flashed with a fiery glow, and his hand shone gold. Shute grinned as the Gundam wound up for a swing.

"Captain…PUNCH!"

His thrusters shot him to one mounted cannon, which crunched under Captain's bright fist. A jump and a second punch took out the second.

But the Komusai roughly shook, throwing Captain to the ground as it climbed.

"No!"

"Come on, we can jump!" Baku started running, and the rest darted after him.

Zero and Titan shot to the front of the pack, with Baku close behind, and Gunbike and Shute bringing the rear. Gunbike braked when the Komusai lifted above the power lines. "Too high! We don' have a good ramp 'round here!"

"Ah, rats!" Shute disappointedly gazed after his friends.

Captain, shaking off his fall, ignited his backpack thrusters. Baku jumped to the roof of the station. Zero and Titan ascended.

But before Captain had lifted far above the electric towers, his thrusters sputtered. "I can't go any higher…!" He dropped and clunked on the substation roof.

"Waaah!"

Baku plummeted to the ground from a failed leap of faith. Titan doggedly pursued the ship in the air, but Zero, already partway to the Komusai, paused in mid-flight to glance down worriedly at his friend. "Don't stop, Zero!" Captain called. "Only you and Titan can reach the Komusai, now!"

Baku, stumbling out of a powdery hole in the concrete, also yelled, "I'm fine! Go!"

With a nod, Zero turned and bulleted towards the ship, which was already passing through the portal.

"Come on…!" Shute breathed in suspense.

They waited with baited breath as the distant blue-and-white form with a splash of red neared the ship. The figure latched onto the bottom of the Komusai, next to a square of navy-blue, just before the entire vessel disappeared in a flash of purple.

"Did…did they make it?" Shute asked.

"I believe so," Captain said, scanning the skies. "They're not here."

"Yes!"

Sobs reached Shute's ears, and the boy dropped his fist-pump to turn to Baku, whose red back was shuddering. "What's wrong, Bakunetsumaru?"

"Z-Zero's grown so much!" Baku cried. "He's f-finally going after the love of his life…!"

"Ya' big crybaby," Gunbike scolded. "Yer teammates don' need no tears!"

As they bickered, Captain began suddenly, "Shute?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Did you give Zero the voice changer before he left?"

"…Um…No... I didn't, did I?"

…

As Zero passed through the portal, clinging on to the Dark Axis ship for dear life, an unsettling thought occurred to him. _I neglected to acquire Shute's voice changer…Now how will I pass through the Zakorello Gate to Lacroa?_

The crackling purple ring gave way to dark, purple sky and two moons. _Sola Diorama? _

He and Titan shared a puzzled glance. "You would be the one to know," the other Knight Gundam whispered.

"I don't..." Zero paused as the Komusai angled to reveal a massive, twisted horned nest floating in the air. "It's the Dark Axis homeworld." He whipped out the invisibility spell card. "Quick, hold on to me."

"If I must," Titan grumbled and laid a hand on Zero's shoulder.

Poof! The two could no longer see their own frames. Only the feel of armor or ship hull beneath their digits convinced them of their continued presence. "Don't let go," Zero warned. "The card's magic only works by physical touch. If you are not connected to it through me, then you will become visible, again."

"I understand."

The Komusai twisted belly-up, and the Gundams dug their fingers in and held their breath. The formidable maroon Magna Musai loomed ahead. "They're going to dock," Zero hissed.

"What should we do?"

"Stay still."

"What if moving parts—?"

"Shh!"

The Komusai's edge began to pass the lip of the larger ship.

"_Wait_," boomed a loud voice.

The Gundams' ride jerked to a stop. "_W-What is it, your maliciousness?_" Zapper Zaku's voice stammered over the Komusai loudspeaker.

_"I want to talk to you three before you dock." _

_ "V-very well, sir...__ Come on, you idiots, get these things off of me_—_" _ The mic clicked off before the rest of the Dark Axis could hear the rest of that internal conversation.

The Komusai righted, sending the inner gyroscopes of its unknown passengers spinning. "I think... I'm going to be ill..." Zero breathed.

"Not on me," Titan hissed back.

The buzz of the lift sounded. Zapper, Grappler, and Dom crept forward on the hull. "Yes, commander?" Grappler Gouf gulped.

_"Since you failed again—you don't even need to tell me, I already know you failed—you're going to do an easier, boring job for me before I let you come crawling back." _A hatch on the front of the Magna Musai opened to release a diminutive red form. _"This is Zako Red, a _competent—_" _Zapper and Grappler winced. _"_—_soldier who answers directly to me. You are going to escort him to Lacroa and help him carry out a... let's call it a _diplomatic_ mission." _Chuckles echoed from the loudspeakers. _"You will follow all of Zako Red's orders to the letter. Do I make myself clear?" _

The trio of squad leaders immediately saluted. "Y-Yes, sir!"

"We are in luck," Titan whispered.

"Indeed," concurred Zero.

They held tight as the Komusai turned.

...

In the throne room, Tallgeese paced. "How can I get her to see that she should cooperate?" he murmured.

A few feet away, Miku set a tray of tea on a small side table. "I don't know, Lord Tallgeese."

The Lacroan warlord stopped and waved his hands exasperately. "You must know _something_, Miku! You're the only one she talks to, here! Don't think that I haven't noticed how long you spend in her room..."

The Gundamess's red shoulders tensed.

"You had better not be hiding anything from me, or I'll—" He cut short, his helm turning to follow a purple, finned shape in the sky through the narrow windows. Miku too spared a look, as Tallgeese uttered, "...What is this?"

"You didn't expect the Dark Axis today, sir?"

Tallgeese's eyescreens darkened. "Miku, take that tea to our guest. I won't be needing it. And stay there with her. If someone is coming, hide. Do not leave until I send for you. Do you understand?"

She trembled. "Yes, sir."

…

The Komusai landed in a world with a darkening reddish sky and two moons. A party of Pawn Leos encircled the descending ship, straight-backed and stiff, waiting to salute their visiting allies.

As the ship crunched onto the rocky terrain, one Pawn Leo noticed odd clanks, followed by what sounded like a muffled curse, but when he looked in the direction of the noise, there was no one there. Dismissing the sounds as tricks of his CPU, the Pawn Leo returned to watching the Komusai's hatch open from its belly.

Beyond his hearing range, mysterious bubblings traveled faintly past, and soon dissipated, dropping off the ledge that overlooked the lake of Lacroa City…

...

"What is the meaning of this?" Tallgeese demanded, glaring down from his throne by the Spirit Tree. "Who sent you?"

A Zako colored red and bearing a commander fin on his helmet stepped to the edge of the stairs. On either side of him stood Grappler Gouf and Zapper Zaku, while Destroyer Dom loomed behind him. Their Zako squad formed rows of green from Dom to the door of the throne room. "Commander Sazabi sent us, zako. We were told to bring back more Gundams, zako, since you reported that there are still some survivors in Lacroa, zako."

Tallgeese growled as he stood. "Then, you may search the surrounding land for those renegades."

"You have one here at Lacroa Castle, too, zako, that we would like to have in our custody."

"She currently is my hostage. Once I am done with her, then you may have her. Not before."

"I have orders to search the premises if you do not comply, zako," Zako Red stated.

Tallgeese raised a glowing red hand. "If you do, you will face the wrath of the Sacred Beast Griffin."

The single eye of the Zako narrowed.

"You should know it's power. I could destroy your entire ship before you even bat an eye. And you would lose your only ally in Lacroa."

"You can destroy the Komusai, but you can't get rid of the last Royal Knight of Lacroa, zako?" Red sneered.

"Do not tempt me to sink my claws into that eye of yours," Tallgeese rumbled.

Zako Red slowly stepped back a pace. "I will inform my superiors of your actions. You have made a bad decison, zako."

"Go ahead." Tallgeese sank into the throne again. "I won't let anyone stand in my way."

Zapper leaned into Zako Red's audio receptor. "So... what are we doing?"

"We will regroup at the Komusai and communicate Lord Tallgeese's intent to Commander Sazabi, zako."

"We're retreating?" Grappler gasped.

"Regrouping, zako. Or would you rather get skewered by one of Lacroa's most powerful Spirits, zako?" Red snapped.

"No, sir."

"Then let's go, zako." Zako Red about-faced and marched through the gathering of Zakos, which parted in front of him so he could reach the front. "We'll be back, _Lord_ Tallgeese!"

Tallgeese glowered at the Zako. "I'll be waiting."

...

Miku set a steaming tray of scrambled eggs, bread, and tea on the petrified nightstand. "There you go," she said to Aleda, who stood beside her.

"Thank you," Aleda said. "I'm glad Tallgeese hasn't made me go eat with him, again, but I was worried I might get hungry."

"Tallgeese is busy, right now." Miku rubbed her metal wrist joints to ease their ache. "He has visitors."

Aleda's wingtips perked. "Visitors?"

"Not your friends the Gundam Force, unfortunately." The Arkian took a small metallic kettle from the tray and poured into a teacup. "It's his Dark Axis allies. Seems he might be in trouble with them." The pooling black tea rose. "Actually, he ordered me to stay here with you until he sent someone to come get me. Someone leaked something to—Oh!" She gasped when the tea spilled over.

Aleda immediately grabbed a napkin from the tray.

Miku pressed her face. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"It's okay." She dabbed the dripped tea.

"...Tallgeese said for us to hide if we hear anyone coming close."

Aleda refolded the soiled napkin with a frown. "Why?"

"It's just a guess, but they may want to take us."

Aleda set the napkin on the tray, accidentally clacking her hand against the edge—she was shaking. "Sorry," she quickly apologized, before asking, "W...What do you mean, 'take us'? Why would they want to do that?"

Miku shrugged to mask her jitters. "All the Knight Gundams went somewhere. The Gundamess prisoners, too."

"You think the Dark Axis took them?"

"All I know is that the other captives of Tallgeese disappeared, bit by bit." She crossed her arms and stared at the floor. "Including my best friend. I woke up one day, and she wasn't there."

Aleda looked down. "I'm sorry..."

"Just be ready to hide."

"Mhm. And maybe..." Aleda lifted her gaze. "Maybe we should ask Vayeate to help us. I don't think he would want them to take you, either."

"Ha!" Miku scoffed. "Vayeate? You think he's going to help us?" She shook her head.

"But, he..." Aleda bit her lip.

"I know what he thinks of me," Miku said. "But, any affection he has stops when it comes to risking his own hide."

"This morning, though—"

"Aleda." Brown eyes hardened. Miku leaned in so the smaller Gundamess could get a good look at their intensity. "Listen to me. Vayeate won't risk his life for a Gundam. He won't help me escape. He wants to keep me here near him, where _he's_ safe and sound."

"But, if he wants to keep you, then—"

"If it came down to choosing whether to hand me over to the Dark Axis and live, or to fight for me and die, he'd hand me over in a second. And then he'd have the gall to cry over me later. He's a coward. A selfish coward who says one thing and does another to keep himself alive," Miku spat. "So, don't trust him. I already made that mistake one too many times."

Aleda picked at her skirt. "...I'm sorry."

"I just don't want you to get hurt or get yourself killed." Miku unfolded her arms and handed the girl a cup and saucer. "Here, drink it."

Aleda took the china dishes in her hands and blew across the tea.

"We had just better hope the Dark Axis leaves before we make our escape tonight."

The Lacroan looked over the rising steam. "You're going to call it off if they don't?"

"No, because we really need this person's help. But, it'll make things more difficult."

Aleda nodded. "I'll be ready."

…

The last red ray of muffled sunlight slid down Tallgeese's armor. He stood at the window, peering up at the Komusai on a high ledge across the way. "They have the gall to try to stop me," he grumbled. "They will soon find that it is a mistake to get between me and my goals. I value my own pursuit of power over any allies. You understand, don't you, Mercurius and Vayeate?" He turned to his two henchmen in the shadows.

"Yes, milord. Power is the most important thing to have," Mercurius said.

"Your power will bring greatness to Lacroa, again," chimed in Vayeate.

"I'll become strong enough to eliminate the whole of Dark Axis," Tallgeese gloated. "Mercurius, bring me Lady Aleda and Miku."

"Yes, milord." Mercurius bowed. His brother gazed after him as he departed.

"Vayeate."

He sharply turned his helm. "Yes, milord."

"I want you to keep watch over the Dark Axis. Let me know of any new developments," his master ordered.

Vayeate bowed. "Yes, Lord Tallgeese."

...

The sun had gone, and the sky had darkened, except for the two moons. Only their pale silver light, and sparse torchlight, illuminated the castle now. In the room holding the grand staircase, a door opened and shut, seemingly by itself. Zero the Invisible Knight and Titan the Unseen took a moment to glance around as they tried to still their heavy breathing. The marble staircase had retained its glistening white color, and the railing its gold. A chandelier winked at the hidden warriors from above.

_ Finally, we are past those irritating Zakos and Pawn Leos_, Zero thought to himself. _Now where would we find her? _He wracked his mechanical brain, attempting to draw out memories he had not accessed for over two years. Then he spotted a door at the lower level, whispered, "This way," and slowly descended and passed through it with Titan in tow. His teammate's hand still rested on his shoulder. So far, so good.

They crossed into a familiar space. _The main hall_, Zero noted, glancing around at the tall windows and the grey tapestries. He spotted a window was partially smashed, specifically on the face of a knight. He raised a digital eyebrow. _One of Tallgeese's tantrums?_

"Someone's coming," Titan murmured urgently into Zero's audio. A red-armored robot turned into the hall two feet away. Zero veered. Titan's hand slipped.

Mercurius jumped at the sudden appearance of a large, intimidating navy-blue Gundam. "What?!"

The hazel-eyed Lacroan, gaping at the robot in horror, scrambled to find purchase on his unseen friend.

Zero's sigh sounded, loud as a cicada's breath in the relative silence of the dead castle, and next his blue frame popped into view. "We've been noticed. No point in hiding, now." The invisibility card faded into magical storage.

"You!" Mercurius jabbed his finger. "You're the Winged Knight, Zero! How did you get here?!"

The Royal Knight chanced a grin. "With my charming good looks?"

"Intruders!" Mercurius called, and the Gundams winced while the shout echoed loudly down the hallway. "Intruders! Mana of Darkness, come to me!" Mercurius's thick shield appeared in his hand. "Draw your swords."

"Oh, Mana, by your pact with me, give to me my blade!" Zero grabbed his shield out of the air and tore his sword from its sheath.

A shield latched on Titan's back, and two formed in his hands.

"We shall see how well you two fight without your friends!" Mercurius goaded, raising his arms as sparks arched between his generators.

Zero and Titan braced themselves behind their shields.

…

Aleda was seated on Tallgeese's immediate right. No one was there but them, since Miku had been dismissed after setting out the food.

The two chewed in silence. _I hope we'll just keep eating_, Aleda secretly prayed. _But I have a feeling it won't end well…_

They ate and ate. An entire five-course meal had been set before them, but, as they were the only ones there to partake, consuming all of it was proving a long process. Curiosity and rising dread forced Aleda to finally break the quiet. "Where are Vayeate and Mercurius?"

"They are indisposed for the moment, monitoring activity around the castle."

Her energy processor twisted. "This is too much for us to eat by ourselves."

"We have time." Tallgeese leered at her as he took a sip of wine. "Plenty of time."

Aleda dropped her eyes to her food and popped another bite in her dry mouth.

"How does it taste?"

"Good," she lied. "It tastes good, Lord Tallgeese."

"Good."

Anxiously, Aleda glanced at the window. The moon had risen to the top edge of its arching frame. How long had they been there, already, and how long did Tallgeese plan to keep her?

"Is there something the matter, Lady Aleda?" Tallgeese pointedly asked.

Her attention snapped to the dinner table. "N-No, sir—Lord Tallgeese. It's just a lot for me to eat, and it's getting late."

Tallgeese shrugged. "The Dark Axis is encamped close by, and I believe they intend to sabotage my domain. I have no intention of sleeping until I know what they plan."

"O-Oh..."

"I know you wish to be elsewhere, Phoenix, but believe me, at this moment it is best for you to stay near me."

Aleda sawed at another slice of meat. It took a minute with her shaky hands, but she managed another bite.

Some time passed, an agonizing march of minutes during which the moon had vanished above the window, before the taller robot spoke again. "So, Lady Aleda…You seem to have gotten close with Miku."

Aleda swallowed. What test was this? "We've… been getting to know each other."

"Only natural. But, I keep a sharp eye on those in my castle." Tallgeese poured a bottle of wine into his glass. "Couldn't have anyone getting _ideas_, could I?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Miku and I aren't strong enough to fight you."

"You certainly are not." The drink swigged down his throat before he added, "And I hope you remember that. You have no choice but to do as I say." He thunked the glass down. "That means you must bring the Feather Dragon to me, and you must begin by searching for it tonight."

Aleda released her fork to silence the clattering it made in her trembling fingers. "Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight. The Dark Axis's interference has, let's say, pushed my plans forward."

"...Why do you want the Feather Dragon?"

"I already told you. I want to restore the Spirit Tree."

"But, why? Why does it have to be revived? You're fine without it."

The tall robot wiped his mouth, staring long at her. His wide lips stretched into a chilling smirk. "You're right, little lady. There's more to it than that. Commander Sazabi ordered me to revive the tree." He added, "They requested I send Gundams to them, and they know that Knight Gundams can only be born when the Spirit Tree gives them their souls. I don't know why they want Gundams, but I have my suspicions. Perhaps they are repurposing them to grow their army, or, maybe, there is a power source they are feeding with their victims."

Aleda grimaced, then asked, "Why only Gundams?"

"How should I know? All I know is they demand Gundam tributes and never bother with non-Gundams."

"Is that where all the other Gundamesses went?"

Tallgeese gave a short laugh. "I see Miku has been giving you history lessons—Don't worry, I won't punish her," he said, seeing the trepidation in Aleda's eyes. "To answer your question: yes. I withheld them as long as possible, but eventually the male Gundam prisoners were depleted." He continued, as Aleda gaped, "They were necessary sacrifices to maintain my standing within Dark Axis. But do not be anxious, Phoenix. I won't allow them to take you."

"But Miku…?" Fear crawled up her stomach. _If we fail to escape tonight, or if Tallgeese finds us, Miku could…_

Tallgeese sighed. "I have kept Miku as long as I could. I quite like her. I even tried to keep her a secret, but inevitably the foot soldiers will discover her and report to the Commander. It's only a matter of time until Miku joins the rest."

"No..." Aleda shook her head.

"There is a way to save her," Tallgeese said. "Find me the Feather Dragon. If you do, and I revive the Spirit Tree, then more Gundams will arise—"

"For you to sacrifice to the Dark Axis in Miku's place? She would never be able to live with herself."

"Does that matter?" Tallgeese leaned his chin on his hand. "If we don't revive the Spirit Tree, then she won't live at all."

Aleda bit her lip. "I can't. You're asking me to betray both Fenn and Zero."

Tallgeese scowled and slammed his fist on the table. "Why must I tell you this again?! The Winged Knight already betrayed you!" The startled Gundamess pressed her back against her chair, watching him with wide, fearful eyes. "He led you to believe he would save your homeworld of Lacroa, didn't he? But he cannot even revive the Spirit Tree, much less all of Lacroa! He has no clue how to do it! His promises are an empty dream! He has lost the Feather Dragon!"

Aleda grit her teeth behind her mouthguard, but she kept her contrary thoughts in her head, for fear of Tallgeese's brimming rage.

"You'll go out, tonight, with me, to lure in the Feather Dragon. You have no other choice!"

She closed her watering eyescreens and shook her head. "No…"

"What did you say to me?"

She scrunched her eyescreens shut even tighter. "I can't."

"Oh, you can, and you will."

The snap of a whipping cape, a clatter of plates and forks, the clunk of a falling chair, and a scream sounded all at once as Tallgeese lunged across the table. Aleda's flight boosters throttled, but he already had her arm. "Let go! Let _go_!" she shrieked.

A sharp yank pulled her into him, and her arm twisted painfully. She squirmed, and her hands heated. Tallgeese squeezed her arm, bringing another cry. "Don't try it, little lady," he hissed, "or I'll break your hands. Let's see you work your Spirit magic then."

Aleda panted, glancing around the room, searching her memory banks for options, calculating desperately in her CPU. But, nothing was coming to mind, and the grip on her arm was tightening.

"Now, stay still." A tint of black licked her captor's hand, a shadow that rose from his fingertips like the smoke of a dying flame. His hand reached down for her gem. Her soul. "Stay still, and I won't hurt you."

"Stop!" Aleda strained, but winced at sharp pain in her shoulder.

"I said stay still!" Tallgeese growled.

"Please!" The tears began to fall. "Please, don't! Stop!" _He's going to try to control me like Griffin! _

"Stop struggling. This is all there is for you," he rumbled into her audio receptor. "Give in to your despair, and embrace your destiny."

"I can't!" Her faceplate shone wet under the chandeleir. "I can't, this w-won't..." she blubbed.

"We shall soon see, Phoenix." His cold fingers touched her GunSoul. "We'll see what you can do when you're mine."

"I'm-m not th-the Phoenix...!"

"Nonsense." The smoke lapped at her soul hungrily.

"D-Deathscythe said I was-sn't!"

The smoke stilled. "What?"

Aleda, with shuddered, wet breaths, wheezed, "H-He came to me this morning. Said I—said I was-sn't Phoenix, that he st-still senses her somewhere else." Her eyes scrunched. "I'm not Pheonix, I'm not it, I can't b-be useful to you, so p-please, let me g-go..."

"You're lying to me. How could Deathscythe know? Why would he not tell me right away?"

"He says that h-he wants you to b-be distra-acted by me, so h-he can do what he wants-s..."

The shadows withdrew into Tallgeese, and his face, instead, seemed as darkness. "What?" His frame shook, and his hand clenched her arm so tightly her armor popped.

"Ack!"

"Deathscythe has betrayed me? All of this is wasted effort?! I went through the trouble to personally retrieve you, and you aren't even—!" Suddenly, he froze, tilting his head.

An echo permeated the room, carrying in a sound of clashing blades. Tallgeese turned his helm. "What?"

The double-doors burst open, nearly cracking. "Lord Tallgeese, sir!" yelled two running Pawn Leos.

The closer of the minions tripped over Aleda's fallen chair just before reaching his master. Poof! Clink! A giant black-and-yellow die clattered where the unfortunate Pawn had once been. The second slowed.

"Well?!" Tallgeese bellowed irritably. "What is it? I'm busy!"

The Pawn Leo's faceless helm tilted to glance passingly at Aleda. "Of course! Apologies, sir! We have intruders in the castle, sir!"

"WHAT?!" His red eyescreens turned scarlet.

"Zero the Winged Knight and another Knight Gundam have engaged Sir Mercurius and Sir Vayeate in battle!"

Tallgeese let out a roar. "The Gundam Force won't make a fool out of me, again!" Aleda cringed at another twist of her arm. "If I can't use you as a Summon Spirit, I'll just use you for your other purpose!"

He shot for the door, reaching out a hand to grasp his materializing shield. The Griffin immediately sprouted, bid by his master's fury, and raced ahead. With a screech of the magnificent beast, he smashed the stone doors with his massive claws to open the way.

The Sacred Beast barrelled through on golden wings, and Tallgeese followed, allowing it to carve his path. Griffin clipped walls, cracked windows, and smashed bust statues in its wake.

"Where are you taking me?!" Aleda demanded.

"Silence!" Tallgeese barked.

The halls became taller. Clangs of battle grew louder. "Let go!" Aleda screeched again, hoping to attract the attention of the combatants.

They rounded a corner and swept past a cluster of warring robots, including a familiar Knight Gundam.

Zero's eyescreens shot to the captive Gundamess. "Aleda!" He lunged.

But the next moment they had gone, bursting into another passage, flying to the grand staircase and up, into the central tower of Lacroa Castle.

...

By candlelight, Miku stuffed bread, dried meats, and bags of beans into large brown sacks on a petrified table in the castle's kitchen. Her excitement climbed with the two moons of Lacroa. Soon, she would be free. But, uneasiness rose with it. _Where is Aleda? _Part of her wanted to go search for her friend, but fear also urged her stay. In the end, her logic sided with the latter. _If no one's here when the Gundam arrives, he may leave before we make it back here. I'll wait, and if she hasn't come back when the Gundam comes, hopefully he'll want to help search for her. _

Miku leaned over and blew out the candle, leaving herself in pitch blackness, aside from the torchlight leaking in from the door. She waited, breathing softly so she could listen for her expected visitor.

Her eyes followed the moons. Almost as soon as the two white circles lined up together perfectly, appearing to merge, a shadowed form rose in the window.

Miku jumped but held silent. The form put a finger to its mouth, its light green eyes smiling reassuringly, and wordlessly pointed to the window latch. Miku nodded, stepped forward, lifted the petrified bolt, and pulled the shutters open. Gracefully, the shadow glided in and landed silently on the floor.

Now that the form was bathed in moonlight instead of blocking it, Miku could see that it was indeed a Gundam face that graced his features, and also that he appeared so shadowed because his armor was black, as the letter had said. A cape on his back fluttered with every movement. Yes, definitely a Knight Gundam of the Lacroan kingdom.

The Gundam bowed slightly. "Sir Ace, at your service, milady," he said. A hushed, but deep voice.

"I am Miku, a Gundamess of Ark," she returned. "Thank you for helping us."

"Save your thanks 'til we are safely beyond the castle walls. Isn't there another one with you?"

"Yes. A Lacroan Gundamess named Aleda. Tallgeese summoned her, and she hasn't come back. I'm worried that something happened to her."

"You are certain she would not betray you?"

Miku, her face contorting in anger, spat, "No, she would never do that!"

"I'm sorry. I thought I should ask," Ace conceded, and her scowl relaxed. But, he sighed, "This complicates matters… Do you have a weapon?"

"Yes." From the underside of the table, Miku produced a tiny pistol with a short, thin silver blade attached to it.

"Impressive, milady," Ace admitted. "I would be interested to see its design later. Is there food?"

"It's here," Miku said, gesturing to the sacks on the table. "We planned for her to use her magic to carry it."

"No matter. We'll find her. Where were she and Tallgeese?"

"In the dining room."

"Then let us go there," Ace began to walk to the door leading out into the hall.

_Does he know the castle? _Miku wondered, as she crept after him.

"Quietly, milady," Ace urged, holding the door open for her.

Miku complied, moving with practiced, silent steps into the open. The black knight observed this with surprise. He had not expected a non-flying Gundamess to be so quiet. She was like a cat—no, a tiger, due to her fiery color scheme. A tigress on the prowl.

Before they could reach the side door to the dining room, clangs and crashes echoed through the hall.

"The sounds of battle," Ace concluded. "I will investigate. Milady, stay here."

"No," she said before he even began to move. "I come from a family of warriors. I can fight."

Ace hesitated. "I suppose there's no guarantee you'll be safe here alone. So be it. But stay close, and take no unnecessary risks."

"Sure."

The Gundams ran toward the noise until they came to an intersection, where Ace paused and turned in confusion. They could hear an echo from all four directions. "It's that way," Miku said, pointing to the right. "I know from the way the castle echoes. You only hear it this way when it's from the split right after the grand staircase."

Ace nodded, and they rushed down the path. The sounds grew louder, and they could distinguish electric zaps, roaring wind, the crash of shields, and the whoosh of a sword swinging through the air.

_ Mercurius and Vayeate, and…someone…_Miku thought in puzzlement.

Finally, they rounded a corner to see Mercurius zapping lightning bolts and Vayeate shooting gusts of wind at a pair of Knight Gundams, who blocked with floating shields. The Gundam with winged decals on his helmet raised his sword, bringing a large magic circle above. "Super Magical Violet Tornado!" A whirlwind of purple rose petals tossed Mercurius and Vayeate into the wall. "Tell me where she is!" the caster demanded.

But, before the twins could answer, the Gundam warriors caught sight of the approaching newcomers and turned sharply towards them. Ace moved in front of Miku protectively. After a second's appraisal, the pair's shields and sword lowered. "You're a Knight Gundam," said the smaller one.

"Yes. I am Sir Ace," the black-armored knight said. "Who are you?"

"I am Zero, the Winged Knight, a Royal Knight of Lacroa, and this is Titan."

Miku gasped, drawing both Gundam's eyes to herself. "Zero? Aleda is—!"

A loud whoosh and an unearthly screech interrupted her. Instinctively, Miku dove for the floor. Bright light swooped in, whitening the robots' vision. The next second, after their optical receptors adjusted, they saw the Griffin's tail flicking through the archway into the next hall. And tailing behind was a red-crested, caped robot gripping a winged Gundamess.

Zero gasped, "Aleda!" He immediately lunged, but Mercurius swung at him with a fistful of crackling electricity. His metal knuckles smashed into Zero's shield, and the lightning crackled, arching up the handle to jolt the Knight Gundam.

A long, pointed shape sailed over Zero's shoulder, forcing Mercurius to jerk away. The black lance cracked the marble floor.

Mercurius stood over Zero, who was panting on his knees, and sized up his new foes. He glared in particular at the Arkian Gundamess. "Miku. I should have known."

"Yes, you should have," Miku returned coolly.

Ace reached out his hand, and the lance flew to him as Zero levitated backward to escape Mercurius's range. Vayeate, rising, joined his brother.

"We must go after Tallgeese," Titan urged Zero.

"Yes, but how? They'll stop us!"

Miku looked to her armed companion. "Let's help them."

He leveled his lance. "Of course. I'm not leaving anyone here."

Mercurius's discs crackled, and the fans of his twin whirled. The air started to spin.

Zero and Titan abandoned their debate. On seeing the gathering storm, Zero flung a Lacroan Crescent into Vayeate. "Not so fast!"

Vayeate stumbled and clutched his staff to right himself, and the winds stilled.

"What?!" Mercurius cried.

Ace charged and thrust. A retaliatory bolt struck him, though, and he reeled. Titan jumped in to catch other electric flashes whipping at them, and they lashed ineffectively against shields and magical barriers. "Just be destroyed, already!" Mercurius roared.

Zero closed on Vayeate, who swung his staff only to be barred by the Vatras Sword. And to both knights' surprise, a small knife—attached to a pistol—joined the deadlock. "Miku…!" Vayeate gasped.

The Arkian looked Zero in the visor. "Go find her. I can handle this."

"But, milady, it's—!"

"I'm a warrior of Ark," Miku cut him off. "Go!"

Zero nodded. "Very well." He broke from Vayeate and flew.

"I need to—" Titan began to Ace.

"Go on." The Gundam leveled his spear at the enemy twins. "We'll meet you in the garden once we're finished."

"Much obliged." Titan and his floating shields wove around and out of the battle.

"Miku, why?" Vayeate demanded, still straining against the Gundamess, staff against mini-bayonet.

"Because you can't keep me prisoner forever." She suddenly dropped and rolled. Vayeate's staff swung and missed. The crack of the marble floor under his weapon was echoed by the crack of Miku's bayonet jabbing into a wind turbine.

Crcrcr**CRICK!** The blades jammed and tore. Vayeate jerked away, his damaged turbine sputtering and sparking from the rip across its rotor. "Miku, I don't want to fight you!"

Miku clenched her metal jaw. "Then don't. Join us."

"You ask me to side with those who persecute my kind. That would mean the end of me. I cannot betray Lord Tallgeese!"

"Then, you have to kill me. I'm not staying here, any longer."

Vayeate's trembling hands aimed his staff for her. "How, Miku? How could you? I didn't see you as a Gundam."

"Too late for that, Vayeate," Miku said, aiming her pistol.

...

The stairs turned from petrified wood to level, smooth steps, winding up and up to the top of a circular shaft. Spirit and robot ascended through the center.

_Zero. Zero's here. _Aleda's processor, almost disbelieving, replayed the sighting of her knight: his desperate leap for her, and the foes that stopped him. _I have to help him! He's still hurt, isn't he?!_

She kicked her captor's shin and enflamed her hands, but Tallgeese, with only a discomforted grunt, locked his arm around her neck segments. The Gundamess croaked, and the fire snuffed. "I've warned you enough, lady," Tallgeese growled.

They followed the spill of moonlight out an open arch at the top of the tower, and Tallgeese released his death grip. Griffin circled above Lacroa Castle, as his master alighted to the peak of the tower's roof. "Feather Dragon! I know you hear me! Griffin knows you're near!"

Aleda wriggled, prompting him to twist her wrist. "Ack!" she hissed.

"I have an old friend of yours, here," Tallgeese boomed. "That's right, it's Aleda! That Gundamess you were so fond of when you were a wittle baby Spirit. Mommy's back~!" A puff of red cloud around his hand formed into a red, thick sword. Tallgeese leveled the edge with Aleda's chin. The Gundamess's air coolant system hitched.

The blade edged closer, sliding its cold shape along the Gundamess's shoulder. "Come here to Lacroa Castle!" Tallgeese shouted. "Come to me, Feather Dragon, and surrender!

"Or she dies!"


	28. Reunion

**Author's Notes**

It's been a very long time! So sorry for the long silence, everyone! I ended up getting a new job last October, as a fifth grade teacher. It's an amazing job, and I'm absolutely loving it, but it's also very time-consuming, so I don't have as much time to write. My updates will be sparser than before. But, on the upswing, there's still the summer.

Part of the long wait was also the amount of time I spent pruning this chapter. I tried to make it the best I could in terms of flow, sound, and vividness. :D A lot happens, and I'm excited to be dipping into more of the show lore and be making connections with canon events/developments.

Copyright Info:

SD Gundam Force is made my Sunrise and Bandai. My OCs present/mentioned in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Ace, Miku, Lady Opal, and Calypso.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Reunion**

Chief Haro stepped across the landing pad to meet the visitors rolling down the Gunperry plank. "Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn."

James squinted at the green mask. "Chief... Haro...?"

The head bobbed in affirmation, and Haro shook his hand. "Yes. Welcome to the SDG base."

"Why are you wear—?"

"Let's go somewhere else where we can talk," Chief Haro interrupted, ushering him and his two human relatives toward an inner door of White Base. "And I appreciate your commitment to confidentiality, both inside and outside the base. Nice to see you, Mary."

The brown-haired woman nodded. "Nice to see you, too."

"I don't think we've met," Haro said to the glasses-wearing young man walking next to her.

"Dominic. Aleda's brother," Mary said.

"Oh! Pleased to meet you. I'm Chief Haro, the director of the Super Dimensional Guard, which protects Neotopia from special threats."

Dominic nodded, absently mumbling, "Good to meet you, too." His gaze wandered around the bustling base: many heavily-armed mobile citizens passed by—and in a window, a strange-looking red one with antlers had its face pressed against the glass to stare at them.

But Chief Haro hardly noticed the distraction. His eyes followed a mobile citizen tailing behind them; the robot's stark white stood out against the light blue of their specially manufactured GMs. "Hm? You didn't have to bring along a mobile citizen."

"He tutors our kids," James explained.

"He's a friend of Aleda's, and he's worried about her," said Mary.

The robot quickened his steps to come within speaking distance. "My name is Myles. I heard Aleda was in trouble, so I made them take me, too. I'm sorry if I'm intruding."

"Well, this isn't the most convenient for me, but if it's alright with the Vaughn's, I'll allow it." Haro pointedly glanced over the group. "This is a top-secret establishment. I remind you that none of you are to speak of what you see here, ever."

"Yes, sir." "We understand, sir."

…

Within the caverns of Lacroa waited a winged robot and a mechanical mermaid. Opal periodically stretched her white pinions, while Calypso, sitting on a rock, kicked her legs impatiently and scratched patterns in the stone.

"You seem agitated," Lady Opal noted.

"Of course. Aren't you worried, too?" Calypso snapped.

"Yes, but worry is typical for an old woman. You're not prone to it."

Calypso scowled. "No, I'm not, but I'm usually out kicking tail instead of sitting here guarding an old woman."

"I apologize for the inconvenience. If I thought I would be better help out there, I'd go."

The blue-armored Gundamess leaned back, sighing, "I don't know what better help you are here. You can sense Spirits no matter where you are. That is, if you really can sense them." She paused, waiting for the older Gundamess to defend herself. When nothing came, she sat up and opened her mouth to spit more snark, but she stopped.

The Lady had straightened, one hand on the floor, ready to push herself to her feet, but she stayed motionless and stared through the cavern wall, watching something unseen.

Calypso hesitated, then jumped and approached her. "What is it? What's happened?"

The cave shuddered before her next step, and they both tumbled to the ground. "What?" Calypso gasped, "What's—?"

The shriek of an unearthly creature, high-pitched and resonant, poured through the tunnels and swept over them like a flood of Mmns, silencing her. It broke over their souls, raced down their spines, and flowed over them, before finally fading.

The caves had stilled, too, by the time the cry ended. The two Gundamesses breathed heavily as they regained their bearings. Lady Opal wobbled to her feet. "That was the Feather Dragon. He's stirring. And so is that other terrifying presence I felt last night."

Calypso steadied herself against a giant crystal, eyes wide, clutching her chest and still trembling from the monstrous noise. "W-what should we do?"

"I'm going to tell Ace to leave now, with or without the hostages. This is too dangerous." Lady Opal bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Wait while I speak with him."

…

Scuffles continued in the marble-and-stone halls of Lacroa Castle. Tallgeese's servants and the Gundams had grouped into dueling pairs, Ace against Mercurius and Miku versus Vayeate. Clanks sounded and lightning bolts flew.

But Vayeate's winds were notably absent from the clamor. He busied himself dodging around his Gundamess opponent. Miku jabbed and retreated, lunged and slid, thrusting close to Vayeate's frame but missing by a hair. Then at last, she nicked his arm.

He hissed in pain, muttering some unintelligible obscenity while holding his scraped armguard.

His brother shouted, "Vayeate, what are you doing?! Use your cyclones!"

In response, Ace raised his lance to throw at Mercurius, but a pre-emptive bolt flashed, and he dodged and stumbled, cursing under his breath. "By Mana! How do I get close enough?!"

The red knight scoffed, "Don't try to reach me. You can insulate against fire or cold, and you can thicken your armor to absorb heavy blows, but all electricity needs is one bit of exposed metal to fry you!"

Ace ground his metal teeth behind his mouthguard. Somehow, he had to slip close enough to shove his lance into that square-eyed face.

As he studied the enemy, his head buzzed. _"Ace," _a familiar voice echoed in his mind, _"the Feather Dragon is on his way to Lacroa Castle! You must leave, now!" _

He backed up, still staring down the box-face, who floated closer. "I can't!"

_"Forget the hostages for now! You could all die if you're caught up with these Spirits!" _

Electric crackles zapped his way, and Ace ducked. A stone bust shattered behind him. "I'm already in battle with the enemy! It's too late for me to break away!"

_"Then what—"_

"Tell Ladies Amane and Papillon to escape while they can!"

_"Ace!"_

"This is no time to argue! Have them retreat!"

"Who are you talking to?" Mercurius demanded.

_"Very well," _Opal said dolefully,_ "Be careful..." _

"I will. Don't worry."

Mercurius jabbed his shield in Ace's direction. "Hey! I asked you a question!"

Ace pointed his polearm, smirking. The red knight was a fool if he thought he'd tell about his hidden charges. "Just voices in my head."

"What?" The green box flickered in a blink of surprise.

Ace grinned and charged at him, his lance aimed for his face.

Mercurius held up his shield. "Vayeate! Wind! Now!"

Vayeate's remaining intact turbine began to spin. Miku, standing before him, felt her scraggly hair whipping in the wind.

A fresh, deep scrape cut across Mercurius's shield, splitting one of the thick bolts. His generators spread and sizzled as the Knight Gundam grabbed at his faceplate.

The green gem on Vayeate's staff glowed, and he waved it, guiding the wind in a circle. Miku planted her feet as the air curled, tightened, and funneled into a twister. The Knight of Storm hesitated, staring at his Gundamess opponent, before he flung the tornado.

The whirl rushed in, kicking up crumbled stone, and Miku jumped straight into it.

Vayeate blinked. "Miku?" He could barely see her, a red fleck swirling up in the funnel, tossed around like a windswept petal. "Miku, what are you doing?!"

Abruptly, the tornado ignited. Fwoosh! Embers sprayed, and Vayeate yelped and shielded his face as flames licked his arms and staff. The staff's gem dimmed and cracked.

The moment it broke, the wind dispersed. Miku, released, dropped to her feet, smirking as the blue robot frantically slapped the fires with his cape. "I've seen your techniques." She snapped her fingers, momentarily sparking a small flame in her hand. "I guessed it would be the perfect tool to spread my flames, and I was right."

Vayeate rubbed out the last smoldering ember on his shoulder and clenched his broken staff. "You've been taking the firewood flint to use for your tricks."

"Yep. I've been sneaking it little by little. You didn't notice?"

"I noticed it was disappearing. I didn't want to say anything." He whipped his cape over his shoulders to clasp it back in place. "And breaking one of my magic wind gems isn't funny, Miku."

"I didn't intend it to be. But I'm escaping, tonight, so I don't mind burning a few bridges."

Vayeate stepped closer. "I can't let you go. I won't fail Lord Tallgeese!"

She flexed her fingers around the trigger of her pistol. "Start preparing your excuses to him now, Vayeate, because I won't let you stop me!"

The blue bot snarled. With a loud blip from his flight boosters, he rose in the air and rushed at her.

The Gundamess jumped to the side and tripped. "Aah!" Ace collided with her as he backpedaled away from Mercurius's lightning, dropping them both in a tangled heap.

Vayeate skid to a mid-air stop to turn around, and Mercurius paused his lightning at the surprising sight of two flailing Gundams. Miku pushed up against Ace's leg, only to faceplant when he moved. "Ow!" "Sorry!"

One square facescreen turned to glance at the other. "What the...?"

Ace planted his lance and leaned to pull himself up, as Miku gathered her footing.

Vayeate, seeing them begin to stand, flew in.

"Look out!" Ace gripped the lance and shouldered her aside. Vayeate met the slash of his polearm.

"Hurhk!" The blue robot smacked a wall past them and dropped, balling up to cover his wounded side.

Then Miku bowled Ace over just as a bolt zipped overhead.

Crack! Ace's eyescreens widened at the thunderclap and the new scorch on the wall above them. Mercurius growled in frustration and floated closer, his discs expanding again in preparation to strike. Ace mumbled a hasty "Thank you" as they rolled and bounced to their feet.

Miku nodded and raised her weapon, staring down the Knight of Thunder alongside him.

Shiftings occurred at the cracked wall, and they wheeled. The blue twin stumbled out of the rubble, propping against the wall as he collected himself. Mercurius was drifting in from the other side of the passage. The fight had edged toward the grand staircase room, but the Gundams were still boxed in between the brothers. Both would have to be defeated before any escape attempt. The Gundams pressed back-to-back, eyeing them.

Ace chided, "When I said, 'Remain close,' I didn't mean for you to follow me into battle."

He felt the rumble of her short laugh against his back. "No need to worry, Knight—I'm no helpless damsel. Though at times I do appreciate some assistance."

"Are you two in a battle or on a date?! Take this seriously, Gundams!" Mercurius threw a volt, and they leapt apart.

Boom-snap! The marble floor split open between them. The bang sent Miku skidding and had Ace blinking camera spots from his eyes.

Miku caught herself on the wall with a metallic scrape, and her shoulder knocked a torch. Light fell, and cinder hissed. A rush of air, and a shadow marked with a glowing green square loomed over her. She raised her knife.

Another green flash, a pair of eyescreens, whooshed in to grab her and whisk past. Ace took to the air with her in his arms, and the green square followed. Whining flight boosters and flickering torchlight revealed Mercurius also flying after them, behind Vayeate.

"We need a plan!" Ace shouted.

The Gundamess, seeing the brothers' forms blink in and out of the torchlight, instinctively squeezed his shoulders. "I already disabled one of Vayeate's fans and his staff. He can't magically control the air, right now. We just need to break Mercurius's generators to stop his lightning, and they'll be helpless!"

They were now in the central staircase room, arching up the ballusters and dashing for the top landing. The crystal chandelier above glinted like a lighthouse, and past it waited the opening to the central tower: an archway edged in gold, and beyond, a wide winding stone staircase leading up. The torches continued along the stairs, but there were deep shadows below the steps, and the first partially shrouded a long blue shield.

Ace accelerated. They'd reach the tower and fly up to join the others, and hopefully shake off their pursuers.

The twins jumped in front of them. Ace jerked to the side, but not in time to avoid a glancing blow from Vayeate's staff.

"Gah!" With a throbbing helm, he dropped behind the stair balcony, then twisted around to the front. He led the brothers to the giant arched main double-doors, and veered around a column to the side, forcing them to slow and weave past.

Ace grunted from his sore head. "That smarts! Lady Miku, I can't get close enough to Mercurius to destroy his generators!"

Miku eyed their pursuers, then leaned over his shoulder and cocked her pistol. "Oh, yes, you can~"

...

Zero and Titan flew side-by-side up the central tower. _"No! No...!" _familiar cries echoed down.

"Aleda!" Zero's GunSoul brightened, and his flight boosters knocked up to an ear-piercing squeal. He pulled ahead, racing for the moonlit gap above.

But Titan saw a shadow gliding in. "Zero!"

Zero jerked back and raised his sword as the black mass swooped in his path. A red, curved blade lashed out.

Clang! Blade grated against blade, a scythe against the Vatras Sword, as the shadowy mist dispelled. Zero stared down the unveiled, beady-eyed foe. "Who are you?! Stay out of my way!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Winged Knight," the face said, "because, you see, I'm after the same thing as Lord Tallgeese. A Gundamess with Spirit energy is just too intriguing to lose, don't you think?"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Deathscythe." The arched blade spun and knocked him, sending him crunching into the wall. Deathscythe snickered. "I'm just a humble servant of Lord Tallgeese. But, I've been waiting so long to meet you again~"

As Zero shook the spots from his cameras, the scythe swung for his head. He flinched. The shriek of metal slicing metal rang.

When he looked, Titan was between him and death; the sharp blade had cut into one of the older Gundam's shields, engraving but not piercing it. Deathscythe pulled away, but Zero's rescuer, far from being pleased at his work, stared in horror at the deep line stretching from top to bottom. "What did you do?!"

"You shouldn't underestimate me just because I play lap-dog to that buffoon!" The scythe lashed again, and Titan threw his shield back up. Shink! It ate in, widening the groove. "I'm the most powerful knight of Lacroa, and I don't plan to let either of you leave alive!"

Rock crumbs tumbled as Zero pulled away from the wall. "Ugh...!"

Titan heard the younger Gundam extracting himself. "Zero, go face Tallgeese! We don't have time to stay here!"

"But—!"

The scythe tugged, and Titan dropped his other shield so he could grab the shaft. Deathscythe pulled against him, spouting incomprehensible squeaking curses, yet he still held on. His fallen shield clanged somewhere in the darkness below. Aleda's desperate cries continued to echo down, a tormenting background to the struggle.

Zero almost moved, then stopped, agonizing. Before his eyes replayed his last memory of a teal, scythe-wielding knight. _"Do not worry about a thing. We'll catch up with you, shortly..." _

"Zero, one hit from this blade, and you're split in two!" Titan said. "I'll have no senseless deaths on my hands!" He glanced at the other Knight Gundam, whose soul was shining. "You're better use at Aleda's side!"

"Yes, go ahead and run, Winged Knight, as you did before!" Deathscythe taunted. "I'll make quick mincemeat of your partner, and then you'll be the next stain on my blade!"

Zero bowed his head, his eyescreens dipping into shadows.

"I'm fine!" Titan growled. "Go!"

With a last look at the other Gundam, Zero shot up, taking his light with him, and darted through the arch at the tower's peak.

Darkness grew over the remaining combatants.

The scythe yanked.

Pop!

"Aaagh!" Titan's fingers opened, releasing the weapon, and he cradled his shoulder, cringing.

Deathscythe twirled his blade. "I can't tell if you're brave or stupid. You may think you've let your ally escape, but I'll catch him quickly once I'm finished with you! You're going to regret this, nameless knight!"

With a grunt, a shove, and a click, the Gundam's shoulder joint reconnected, and a faint glowing trail indicated magically repairing wires and lines. "My name is Titan," the Gundam grit out, "and I was only ever a page. But your name is no stranger to me, Deathscythe! The Dark Axis mongrels who captured me bragged about your magic illusions, the ones you used to lure me into a trap." Titan raised his remaining, tarnished shield, and with a shing a short blade extended from its base. "You mocked Master August's memory. I'll pay you back in kind!"

…

"Have a seat." Chief Haro gestured to the chairs surrounding the plain white table. He had brought them to a small meeting room with calming light-green walls, meant only for five or six people. A full-wall window on one side offered an unobscured view of the cloudy sky beyond, with the city peeking up through open patches in the whiteness here and there.

James sat straight across from Haro's leather seat, facing the window. Mary and Dominic took chairs on one side of him, and Myles shimmied in on the other.

Haro sat down, and, looking at the expectant faces of his guests, sighed. "So... where to start?"

James began. "Can we see our daughter?"

He shook his head. "No, not at the moment. She..." Chief Haro fell silent as he pieced together an appropriate response. "...Well first, let me explain from the top. The Super Dimensional Guard, or the SDG, was created after we learned about special threats to Neotopia, ones from other worlds besides ours."

James pressed his lips together.

"I know what you may be thinking, but it wasn't Aleda who first alerted us to our extra-dimensional neighbors, and we never saw her as a threat. Another robot came with her from the other world fifteen years ago. He came to us before we met with your family and Aleda."

"So you knew something? The whole time?"

"He didn't want us to disclose his existence to anyone. We were protecting his privacy, just as you wanted Aleda to be kept secret. We never told him anything about her, either."

James begrudgingly nodded, as Mary anxiously twirled a strand of hair.

"The situation has since changed, so I think it's time we disclosed everything. This robot who brought her here, Titan, told us about enemies that had abducted several of his kind—Gundams, they're called—including himself and Aleda. The Gundams fought back, and Titan managed to escape with Aleda to Neotopia.

"He has been stranded here since, just like Aleda, and we've been trying to research ways to travel between dimensions, to return both of them to their home and to develop ways to counter extra-dimensional enemies if they ever decided to invade Neotopia." Chief Haro sighed again. "And as we feared, those enemies did come. For months, now, Neotopia has been in a secret war against an army known as the Dark Axis."

"How did you get Aleda involved in this?" demanded James.

"We didn't try to get her involved in anything. She came to us on her own, following her instincts and the dimensional rift detector that _you_ gave her. There are others in our force from her native dimension, as well, and she followed one of them back from a mission. She freely chose to join the Gundam Force unit within our ranks."

"Freely."

"Yes, freely."

"Where is she now?"

Haro tensed. "That's the difficult news. Our enemies noticed Aleda for some... differences she apparently has from even her fellow Gundams. While we were busy dealing with a crisis, they took her."

The room silenced. Those words resounded in their heads. Mary's twrling finger stopped, and Dominic and James stared at Haro as if he'd sprouted another green head. Myles's chair arms splintered. "W-What...?"

The Chief bowed his head and continued regretfully, "I'm sorry. They kidnapped your daughter and have taken her hostage. She's being held in another dimension. We've sent a rescue party after her and are doing everything we can to bring her back."

Mary swallowed. "She's alive?"

Chief Haro nodded. "As far as we know, she is in one working piece."

James blinked his glistening, red-rimmed eyes, inhaling before he said, "When will they bring her back?"

The chief bridged his fingers together. "We expect them to return tonight. And we're developing backup plans in the case that doesn't happen." His audience jolted, prompting him to quickly amend, "It will be alright! Our rescue team is very skilled and trustworthy. They'll bring her back, for sure."

James shook his head. "I can't believe you! I can't believe you'd use my child like this..."

Cotton gloves squeaked. "We never used her or forced her into anything. She's always decided where to live and what to do with her abilities. Certainly, once she saw our Gundam members, I could not have stopped her from joining us, any more than you could have stopped her from leaving home."

The father gave a thin smile. "I guess not. Well, that clearly explains why she was crying over the phone, saying she was coming back home, and then was chased down at the train station."

"As I have said before, that was not from my orders. There was a personal issue between Aleda and some of her teammates, and one of them chased her down to resolve it. As far as I know, they've all reconciled. She did tell you her change of plans, correct?"

"Stop acting like she's an adult who can't be manipulated by some opportunistic politician!"

"I am not a politician, James. I'm a strategist who's trying to save people's lives."

The man stood. "At the expense of children!"

His wife protested, "James, settle dow—!"

"I won't settle down while they're using my daughter as a child soldier! I don't care what you think she brings to your militia, Haro. This has nothing to do with her!"

"On the contrary—"

"I don't care if her home planet is in a war! _She_ is not involved!"

Chief Haro stood, slamming his hands on the table. "Now, see here!"

…

As this confrontation played out, Bakunetsumaru, Captain, and Shute collected outside the office.

"They're in there, right?" Shute asked.

"Yes, Aleda's guardians are meeting with Chief Haro," Captain said.

Baku danced in agitation. "I wish we could know what's happening. They're not going take her away, are they?"

"Hm. Maybe we could find out…" Shute slipped between Captain and Baku and leaned in, cupping a hand over his ear.

"Are you trying to listen in?" Baku asked.

"I think that goes against regulation, Shute."

"Is it working?"

"Shh!" Shute gave them a stern look with a finger to his lips, like his mother when she scolded. "Guys, be quiet! We gotta figure out what they're planning to do so we can warn everyone when they get back from Lacroa."

"Oh…"

Shute pressed his ear to the door again. A couple moments later, Baku edged in, and finally even Captain slid close and tuned his receptors. They listened, still and quiet, for every murmur inside, but the walls were so thick they could only make out a few muffled words.

"_He did...!"_

"…_what…!"_

"…_trusted?!" _

"What's up, guys?" interjected a new voice.

The gathered teammates jumped and turned to see Guneagle.

"Are we planning a surprise party or something?" the flier innocently asked.

"Shh!" Shute shushed at the same time Baku hissed, "Be quiet, birdbrain! This is important!"

Guneagle's wing funnels ruffled. "What did you call—?!"

"SHHHH!"

With that last shush, they faced the door, again. The young Gundam huffed, but eventually he, too, crept closer to listen.

...

"I'll kill her, Feather Dragon! I will!" Tallgeese shouted. The edge of his blade grazed Aleda's neck, scraping off a metal shaving.

Above them, Griffin also cried out in challenge to the night. He circled on golden wings, red eyes watching the horizon like a hawk seeking prey, and beak emitting a feral screech. The night was the waters, and the Feather Dragon was the fish hiding in it. Would Fenn be such an easy catch, though?

Captor and captive stared across the moonlit Lacroan landscape, listening to the faint echoes of swordplay from below and the silence of weathered cliffs ahead, waiting for a roar to break the nighttime ambiance.

"I'm getting tired of waiting, Feather Dragon!" While maintaining the sword at her neck, Tallgeese moved his other hand to grab by her GunSoul and squeeze. "Her time is growing short!"

Panic flooded her circuits. "No! No...!"

_ "__It is your most vulnerable point, where your consciousness connects to your body... be sure to guard it closely..."_

A snap sounded. One adjacent plate broke off, and pain jabbed her as if she'd been punched in the heart. She keeled over, gasping, the movement nicking her neck on the sword. "It wouldn't take much to _crush_ her!" Tallgeese called.

Thoughts of her knight flooded her. _Zero...!_ He'd been down in the castle fighting for her. He'd come all this way, across dimensions, so she wouldn't die. She couldn't let his efforts be in vain, nor fail her promise to avenge the fallen on the Dark Axis.

Her soul began to shine. _I won't let him kill me! _She elbowed Tallgeese's chest, earning a grunt.

The arm loosened enough for her to start wriggling out, but he quickly constricted it again, and after a breath he wheezed, "No more of that, girl!"

She bucked defiantly. "Let me go! Let me GO—!"

"Not a chance!"

Then a different screech echoed over the stony horizon, a throaty rasp swelling to end in a high-pitched shriek. Tallgeese grinned, and Aleda snapped up her gaze. Across the petrified lake, they could see shining wings beating, carrying a two-legged fanged creature their way. Though Aleda had never seen Fenn in this form before, there was no doubt, between the white wings and the deep-throated cry, that it was the Feather Dragon.

"It's coming!" Tallgeese squirmed in excitement. "My Feather Dragon is coming to me~!"

_Fenn, don't! _Aleda flailed, backhanding her captor in the face.

"Gack! You—!" He pushed on her gem, eliciting a pained scream. "Stay still!"

"No, stop...!" She grabbed at his claws as she shouted, pushing back to ease the pressure on her chest, but he kept shoving, the tips scraping and digging. It was so painful, like he was carving out her heart. She was going to crack, wasn't she? Her glowing gem would shatter, destroying her hold on this life. "Let go!"

"Give it up, brat!"

"Aleda!"

Tallgeese's claws jerked back, but her core still twisted. Zero, emerging from the tower, flew up and hovered before them, locking his blue eyes on the Gundamess. His GunSoul glowed as brightly as hers, calling to its partner. Dread and hope played tug-of-war in her chest. He'd come to save her, just in time to be baited. "Zero, help Fenn! Tallgeese is trying to trap him!"

Zero looked over his shoulder to see the Spirit flying over the twisted spikes and rooftops of the city. Fenn was close enough for them to see the feathers of his wings and the peacock spots on his tail. He greeted his partner with a roar.

The knight nodded, then resolutely turned to face his lady again. "I won't leave you. Not even for a moment!" He bared his blade. "Tallgeese, release her at once!"

"Or what?" As Tallgeese spoke, the Griffin, bidden by an unheard command, dipped down, blurring and losing his form as he poured himself into his master. "Will you fight me for her, Winged Knight?" Gold talons branched from Tallgeese's feet. "I just learned she isn't the Sacred Beast Phoenix. Does she still matter?"

Zero blinked, then gaped behind his mouthguard, and his blade sagged. "Wait, you mean...?"

Tallgeese chuckled, "Yes, she's a Gundamess with strange properties, but just a Gundamess all the same!" His sprouting wings stretched. "Hardly worth the effort, I'd think. That's what makes a lovestruck heart such a fun handicap, though, isn't it? You'll surrender everything for the most worthless reasons!" Complete in golden splendor, the Knight of the Tempest sneered, "That is, unless you _don't _care, anymore."

Aleda pulled at Tallgeese's arm, but her fingers slipped on the seams of his armor, unable to find purchase.

Zero glared. "No matter what she is, Spirit or Gundamess, she is mine! And I'm taking her with me!"

"Zero...!" The shine of Aleda's soul brightened. If she could just reach him, they'd escape. She kicked against Tallgeese's shin. Bang, bang, bang! But though her heel pounded, he wasn't flinching.

Tallgeese laughed and tightened his grip to silence her. "Good! Then she is still a valuable pawn!"

Another dragon roar shook the tower shingles, and glaring light and beating wings filled their senses. The Feather Dragon had overtaken them, and he stopped to hover over Zero.

"Fenn," the young knight said, "Lend me your strength. Please allow me this one selfish use of your power..."

Before he had finished speaking, lavender armor was growing over his shoulders, and feathers blooming from his back. His V-fin and winged helmet decals elongated. New wings draped around him like a white cloak, layer upon layer of shining feathers. They extended, casting a shine over the night luminous enough to eclipse the two moons.

Aleda stared in awe at the fabled Hero of Lacroa, the Knight of Silver Winds, who had defeated Tallgeese and Griffin some weeks ago. His magic energy was overwhelming enough to make her processor pound. She could see, now, how he'd won so easily; she'd thought the Griffin's aura terrifying—Fenn's true form was downright mind-numbing.

Yet Tallgeese didn't seem fazed. He curled his claws in anticipation. "Even with the Feather Dragon, you can't defeat me!"

"Can't I, now?" Two wing-hilted swords with hooked ends materialized in Zero's hands, absent any magic circle. "Are you so sure you can win against the Feather Dragon, Tallgeese?"

"Yes, because I have _her, _and you won't dare attack when I can end her in a split second!" His claws glinted as they waved in Aleda's face.

For a second, Zero met her eyes, searching. _What is he asking me to do?_ she thought. Images of fire and screams returned to her, echoes of that mysterious dream. _Is that it? _

Zero angled back a sword. "I won't fall for your bluff."

He was relying on her to act. She wouldn't have long; Tallgeese would carry out his threat soon. Though keeping her eyes on Zero, she focused on the hand at her shoulder, which had its claw-tips pricking her armor. She snatched it. Tallgeese squeezed into her in response, but she bit her lip and held on. It would only take a moment.

The Knight of the Tempest snickered. "I wouldn't be so confident, Zero. I'm quite a terrible person, you know!"

It was good that he was laughing. That meant he didn't notice the heat building in her fingers. Just a second more.

"Fear is my pleasure, and hatred is my..." He sniffed, stopping his ramble. "What is that smell?" He looked at the hand she gripped. "What are you—"

_One second more._

It erupted in flames. "AHHHH!" He yanked his hand away, screaming, and Aleda shoved his arm aside to launch toward freedom.

Zero whizzed at them. She'd gotten within arm's reach of him, close enough to almost touch. He was flying past her to intercept Tallgeese, to get between them. She was safe.

But barbs wrapped around her. "What—?"

A yank pulled her back to Tallgeese. Zero braked his sword swing inches away from the mark. Inches from Tallgeese's face. "Aleda!"

"No!" She thrashed and twisted in his grip. A black cord edged with red bound her wings and arm—a thorny, whip-like manifestation of his usual Semicircle Claws—holding her between the Knight Gundam and his prey.

Zero angled his wings as if to swoop in again.

"Not so fast!" Tallgeese flapped and blew him back. In three beats, Aleda's fire vanished, leaving only ashes on his fingers.

Puffing the last tendril of smoke off his browned hand, Tallgeese yanked the cord taught, eliciting a cry of pain, and firmly latched on her shoulder. "You can't get out of this so easily, Winged Knight. You have a choice: you and the Feather Dragon will submit to me now, or the little lady here will die!"

Zero stared at Aleda as her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her free hand balled up, and she swallowed. "I'll be okay, Zero." She was trying to convince herself as much.

"You have three seconds to decide." Tallgeese drifted back to increase the gap between them.

Zero's eyes widened. "Wait—!"

"Three..." He drew out the word with relish.

"Tallgeese, if you dare, I'll—!"

"Two~" His claws drummed on the gem. Aleda's breath seized at every beat.

Zero trembled, but dared not move. "I'll slay you right where you stand!"

"One."

Tallgeese raised his claw over her chest. For a dreadful, engine-stalling moment, he held it there.

"Don'—!"

It plunged.

Aleda squeezed her eyes shut.

"NO!"

Tallgeese stopped, holding the sharp tips just above her with a taunting smirk. "Well? What will it be?"

She opened her eyes and saw her knight's face twisted in agony. He wasn't seriously thinking he should do it? Even though he knew, as she had when their roles were reversed, the traitor wouldn't honor any bargain he made? _You can't, Zero!_

Zero grit his teeth, and lowered his twin swords. "I surrender."

Her GunSoul almost broke with dismay. She knew what would happen next. Zero and Fenn would be captured, Tallgeese would make Fenn his Summon Spirit, and both her and Zero would be sent to the Dark Axis. She croaked. "No." This wasn't how the prophecy was supposed to go. _I ruined it. I ruined everything..._

Tallgeese grinned. "Good. Then first, separate from Feather Dragon."

Zero closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and his frame started to glow.

This couldn't happen. Not after all he'd done to reach her. Not when the legends said he'd save Lacroa. She had to do something! Aleda slid her free hand ever so slightly, hoping Tallgeese wouldn't notice the subtle movement...

Her captor's boasting continued, "And then after that, you'll kneel down to me. Feather Dragon will come and lend me his—"

She thrust.

Crack!

Tallgeese gasped, shoved the girl away, and doubled over, covering a new hole in his torso. Aleda bolted fast, reverse-gripping a thin red knife.

He felt the hole, beneath and to the side of his central power supply—no bigger than a dime, yet burning as if she'd ignited his entire fuel system. "What did you d—?!"

THWACK! The flat of a sword smacked him before he could finish, and he flew screaming into the tower roof. A heavy crash sounded, followed by a rising cloud of stone powder.

Zero, still in his feathered regalia, came beside Aleda and spat down at the villain, "That will show you how to treat a lady!"

Tallgeese was too dazed to reply. He laid in the cleft he'd made in the tower shingles, his eyescreens active but showing static-y blotches. He wasn't even moaning yet, though a spider-web of cracks across his armor said he should be in significant pain.

Zero turned from him to look Aleda over. She had a hand defensively cupping her chest, covering fractured armor and a scratch on her GunSoul—a dim spot on her otherwise glowing gem. "Are you alright, Aleda?" he said softly.

Though quaking, she gave a quick nod. "It's sore, but I think I'm fine."

His ruffled feathers settled just a bit. "I'm glad to hear that. But don't stress your frame before we can take a look at your injuries. A scrape to the GunSoul is no light matter."

"I'll be careful." She gave him a small smile.

Tallgeese's groan drew their attention. He shifted below them, dislodging pebbly debris. "Oh, that smarts..." He slowly began to stand. One wing had crumpled beneath him: it creaked as it tried to unfold. He wheezed like a broken accordian, and deep scratches marred his golden armor. Where was he trying to go, damaged like that?

Zero moved. "I'll finish this, Little Wing." His swords clicked together, forming one blade with a hollow, circular hole near the tip. "Stay back." He lowered, and as he descended to the roof, he said with hardened blue eyes, "You shouldn't have underestimated her twice, Tallgeese."

Aleda shuddered at how quickly the gentleness had left him, like warmth fleeing a cold frost. She'd wanted him to save her; she wasn't sure she wanted to watch what he had planned for her tormentor.

But before Zero could reach Tallgeese, he stopped, as if listening.

He turned around and flew the other way, grabbing Aleda's hand as he passed.

"Zero, what—?"

A screech sounded, and a winged shadow phased through the tower. It climbed toward them on leathery sails, its giant maw stretching wide, ready to swallow them in its black throat.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yes, I'm leaving you on that cliffhanger XD

So for the question of when the next chapter will be up: I don't know. I'll certainly aim for another month or month-and-a-half. I'll try to keep the chapters shorter so I can get them out sooner. But my teaching will obviously take priority; I'll have to take snatches of 15-20 minutes in a day to write, instead of, like, an hour.

I'll see you guys on the other side. Wish me luck!


	29. Escape

**Author's Notes**

It took a lot longer than I thought to edit and put this chapter up, but I hope you like it!

Thanks to Oribird for looking over it for me!

**Copyright Info**: SD Gundam Force is produced by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs mentioned or present in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Miku, Ace, Mary Vaughn, and James Vaughn. All other characters and settings are created by Bandai and Sunrise.

* * *

**Chapter 29: Escape**

Two shadows danced in the tower, one whirling and slashing, the other blocking and stabbing. The torches flickered in their wake. Titan's bulky form darted in at every pause of the scythe, his movements quickened by flight magic.

Another swing of the scythe passed. He lunged, jabbing at the nebulous body with the blade at the base of his shield. He scraped no metal or flesh, but a squawk came, and the beady eyes blinked out for a second as if Deathscythe were cringing in pain. _I hit! Somehow, I—!_

The next second, Titan was in the wall, his shield and frame stuck firmly in the stone, the torch beside him tilting, the whole sconce loosening from its hold. The Gundam croaked.

"How dare you..." he heard Deathscythe hiss.

In the midst of the pain and dizziness, Titan clenched his right hand. Good, his shield was still there. In the blackness ahead, there was movement. It rushed in—a pair of white pinpricks approaching like a hungry nocturnal beast. He brought his shield over his face.

"How dare you!" The scythe cut across, gashing the shield further. "I'm going to tear you apart!" Another high-pitched scrape. "I'll carve agony into your core!" Titan grunted as the hilt jabbed his shield. "You'll be begging me to kill you!" Then with a flick, the scythe wooshed through the tilted torch, catching its flame. "You will _burn!_" The fiery blade swung down at his head.

Titan ducked. The shield cracked and smoked. With a jerk, a piece of it snapped off. The flames hiccupped from the sudden movement.

"You should have given up while you had the chance!" Another slam carved a jagged peak in the metal. "Now I'm going to make sure your death is painful!" Thunk! "Excruciating!" Thwack! "So every piece of you is screaming!" Shink!

Titan's defense was quickly dwindling. Pieces of the shield were falling away so fast. He was losing Master August's gifts. Would he lose his life, too?

The fire on the scythe snuffed during the wild swinging. Hot steam wafted from the edge as it swept in again. Titan pushed, shoved it away, and, as best as he could while embedded in the wall, lashed out with his shield remains. Deathscythe pulled out of reach. The faint hum of that fiend's body—could he be using the same magical flight as Titan?

"So you are not invincible. I'll make sure…" Titan yanked forward, scraping against the stone to get a shoulder out of the wall. "…you're the one screaming in the end!" The other thick shoulder came out, as Deathscythe's blade raised again to strike.

A loud, bestial roar reverberated above from outside. It echoed down the tower, rattling the old stone bricks, and both combatants stopped.

"What is that?" Titan said.

"The Feather Dragon."

"What?"

"The Feather Dragon." The villain's voice was soft and distant, as if the beastly cry had entranced him. Then his beady eyes narrowed, and the scythe raised. "I don't have time to play anymore, little squire. So if you'll excuse me—" He swung, splitting Titan's disfigured shield in two. "—I have somewhere to be!" A red magic circle appeared under Deathscythe as half of the shield clattered on the steps.

Titan stared down after the broken piece only a second before noticing his opponent was fading. "No!" He reached, and a net of glowing lines spread. The magic circle popped, and Deathscythe solidified—if his apparent form could be called solid.

"What?!" Deathscythe glared at the bars surrounding him: made of magic energy, they formed a glowing, crackling cage. "You dare use binding magic on me?!"

The last piece of shield in Titan's hand phased out, disappearing into magical storage. "I'm not letting you interfere with my lady's rescue!" He floated closer to the cage, positioning himself boldly close to the enemy. "You're not leaving."

Surely Deathscythe wouldn't stay quietly, though. Titan stared, waiting. And as expected, Deathscythe's blade began to whirl inside the barrier. With a motion of Titan's hand, the cage suddenly shrunk, catching the hilt so it couldn't turn.

The Gundam smirked. "You'll stay right there, Deathscythe, until we've recovered Lady Aleda."

"You can't keep me in here!"

"Try and get out, then."

His pinprick eyes flashed. "I _will_. I'll get the Feather Dragon one way or another."

The Knight Gundam raised an eyebrow. _Interesting. _Feather Dragon was known to be a powerful Spirit who aided warriors to safeguard Lacroa. Deathscythe obviously wanted it for his Summon Spirit, but how could he hope to achieve that? With the young Gundamess? "You're after Feather Dragon? What do you plan to do with it?"

"That is not the concern of a maggot like you!"

"I understand, now: you're just like Tallgeese, using Lady Aleda as bait for the Spirit."

"Though I use her for the same purpose, I am not as shortsighted, nor as stupid." He leaned in closer to the bars. "You deserve death for getting in my way, but I could overlook your slight if you allow me to capture Feather Dragon. The Gundamess can leave safely with you, too. As curious as she is, I am much more interested in a stronger Spirit."

"You are saying… if I let you go, you will let all of us go?"

"Yes." The scythe's hammerhead end pushed against the energy cage. "But if I have to get myself out of here, our deal is off!"

The cage began to spark. Titan edged back. He could feel his spell wavering. This was a powerful foe, and doubtless also deadly. If his cage couldn't hold him, he didn't have much left to defend himself with. Could he afford to let Deathscythe go? Take Aleda and leave the rest of them to fight over the Feather Dragon?

But then the Savior would be without his partner, wouldn't he?

"I'm warning you...!"

What would Master August want?

"I _will _destroy you! I have more power than you can imagine!"

Titan clenched a fist. Deathscythe's magic circle had reappeared. Though he was seeing no results, yet, the energy from whatever spell he cast radiated through the barrier. It was like a magical furnace. And in the reddish light Deathscythe looked quite like the devil he was.

What would he do when certain death loomed over him?

"And be assured that the Gundamess, too, will follow once I have no more use for her. Unless you let me out now."

A snarl left Titan. "You think I would release you when you threaten Lady Aleda?"

Master August had sacrificed himself for those he cared about. And the kingdom he cared about.

_He would want Lacroa to be saved. _

"I'm not letting you out!" Titan declared. "Even if I have no weapons to fight you with, I will stand between you and your prize with everything I have!"

Deathscythe muttered something.

"What?"

The Knight of Darkness continued mumbling as if he didn't hear him. He wasn't talking to him. He was chanting. Titan swallowed.

Suddenly, cold seized his central cables and he shivered. Something huge swept past, and the torches blew out. All Titan could see was a shadow darting across the light of his spell, and all he could hear was the drumbeat of large wings. "What—"

It threw his back into the staircase. The steps cracked under his weight, and he fell, his body rolling in midair until he smacked face-first into the next flight.

Deathscythe was shrieking. "Don't pay attention to him, fool! The Feather Dragon! Get it!"

Titan heard a roar and the loud thrump, whump, of wings. The magic aura was huge and chilling, like a blizzard. Wind beat his back as he tried to push himself up, and dust buffeted his armor. Another cry of it sounded from farther up. He still couldn't turn to see what was happening. It was too strong, too cold.

A last drum of the wings fluttered his cape. The loud pounding dimmed and the chill dissipated. It had left the tower. Its screams reverberated outside. It had spared him, but what would happen to Lady Aleda and the Chosen One?

_I can't let it get to them! _Titan hefted himself off the stairs. Could his feet hold him? Could he fly? On catching sight of his captive again, he painfully rasped, "What did you _do_?!"

"I sent my monster out there to obtain the Feather Dragon for me." The scythe jerked down to split one rung of the cage. "You didn't think you were the only one with friends in Lacroa, did you?"

Titan's eyes widened. His enemy was indeed no mere lap-dog, with a pet like that and enough strength to work through the binding spell.

Deathscythe's beady eyes scrunched, but this time in a way that resembled a cheeky grin. "Oh? You're scared now? Just wait until I get out."

...

Across the Castle, up on the cliffside bordering the petrified lake, the Dark Axis was observing events from the Komusai. Zako Red sat in an elevated chair, his single eye staring at the monitor in the front of the bridge.

Zapper Zaku and Destroyer Dom were absent: he'd sent them on a hunt for any signs of hidden Gundams in the surrounding canyon. A few green Zakos stood at environment readouts and battle stations, but most were on light sleep mode in the barracks to save energy. And Grappler Gouf stood at Zako Red's left, making various faces as the conflict above the castle played out. His camera lens widened and shrunk with the shifting fates.

The Knight Gundam had merged with the giant Feather Spirit thing, and now pretty Angel Knight was arguing with Tallgeese over his girlfriend. And then—Oh, look! The girlfriend got away! Ooh, not quite... Oh! There she went, and—

Grappler cringed as Zero swat Tallgeese into the tower. "Ouch."

Zako Red snickered. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the sight of his ally being thrashed. But Grappler, though he had no attachment to Tallgeese himself, was at least concerned about damage to an asset of the Dark Axis.

"Uh... Zako Red, _sir_," he interrupted.

The Zako's eye swiveled to him.

"Shouldn't we help fight the Gundams?"

Zako Red turned his camera back to the screen. "No, zako. Let's wait and see how the situation plays out. This is giving us valuable intel, zako." His vents stretched in a sneer. "Also, I want to let Tallgeese be reminded of how useless he is without us. Let him struggle, zako."

Grappler caught himself before he could breathe an audible sigh of relief. He could see the energy readouts on the monitors: the Knight Gundam's output gave Sola Diorama's sun a run for its money. The only reason Tallgeese was still in one piece—as deeply entrenched in that tower as he was—was because of Griffin. As much as Grappler hated to admit it, he had no desire to fight Zero in that form. What could they do to counter that? They'd have to get another Spirit.

_If those two bozos get caught in this..._

Oh, wait, something else was coming. The bars in the charts were shooting up again.

Zako Red smirked as Zero wheeled and flew away from the tower with his girlfriend in tow. "Wait and see..."

...

Zero was descending toward his enemy, sword in hand. "You shouldn't have underestimated her twice, Tallgeese."

His target was battered and barely standing, his armor close to falling off, his crest bent, and his chest creaked like a crumpled soda can. But he'd hurt Aleda. He'd almost _killed_ her.

"Zero…"

The bright feeling in his chest, cool and light like a clear breeze, faded. His synchronization with Aleda had come undone. She didn't like this. She'd never seen him end a life before. But he had to. Tallgeese was too dangerous to leave alive. He'd come back from defeat twice; only death would stop him forever. Zero squeezed the hilt of his sword.

One swing was all it would take. He'd cut him right in half.

Then Zero's wires tingled, and he stopped. Fenn.

The Feather Dragon hissed loudly in his CPU.

_"It's coming!" _

He attuned his Spirit-aided senses. Something was rapidly closing: something big as a thundercloud and dark as a demon. Like the static before a storm, malicious energy gathered in the air.

He shot the opposite way, grabbed Aleda's hand as he passed, and pulled her.

"Zero, what—?"

The Thing screeched as it phased through the tower. It was a dark shadow with heavy wings and wide jaws, which opened to snap them up.

Zero jerked them to the side and twisted to slash. The creature's scaled hide split. It screamed in pain. When it flew past, it bore a long white scar.

Thwack! Something swung from the side, knocking them into a spin. Aleda gasped. They fumbled and flapped. Zero grabbed her shoulders. With effort, he straightened his wings, and they righted. "Aleda, hid—!"

The rest of his words were drowned in the shriek of the giant shadow as it doubled back for more. Its leather wings beat quickly.

A spell came to Zero's mind, the same one that he and Fenn had used in the magic square against Tallgeese. Murmuring, he moved in front of Aleda and raised his sword. It wasn't until the beast's cry died that he could hear himself. "Super Spirit Magic..."

Another hand grasped the hilt, small yet reassuring. His Little Wing. A tendril of red snaked around the sword's length, joining with his and Fenn's power. Warmth and strength swelled in him. Her eyes looked in his, the green tinted with flames, and he nodded. He had two partners in this fight. _Yes, let us do this together. I've denied and doubted you long enough, Little Wing. _

The beast sprung. The wings flared.

Zero squeezed the hilt. "Infinity Winds!" The Buster Sword gleamed blindingly bright. The creature screeched and reared back, revealing the outline of golden horns and a reptilian jaw. Zero held himself in the face of the monster and moved to swipe.

The beast whipped around, throwing its tail, and they ducked. Zero curled his wings over Aleda and himself, but only wind gusted against his feathers. He parted them and looked up, lifting his blade again, but the wide, curved tail was shrinking as the beast flew away. It was retreating?

"Where are you going?!" he yelled after it.

The beast angled toward the moons. Its wings cast a batlike silhouette, a ghostly blot over the natural light, before the clouds eclipsed it. A shriek echoed behind the cover, the last lingering note of its presence.

When the clouds passed, it was gone. Lacroa was left silent again.

The Buster Sword dimmed, and Zero lowered it. "What was that?" Aleda asked, barely above a whisper.

"I don't know. But Fenn says we frightened it away, for now." A brief shudder passed through him. His vents were still whirring loudly. That monster had a strong magic aura that had shaken even Fenn. He could feel the Feather Dragon's alarm, as if he were physically whimpering into his audio receptor. No need to tell Aleda that, though. She was already frightened enough. He could feel her hand trembling; they both were still holding the sword.

Zero edged Aleda's hand off the hilt, giving a light squeeze before releasing her. "Thank you, Little Wing." He turned to glance down at the roof. An angel-shaped dent in the tower was the only trace left of Tallgeese. Not a single feather remained. Crumbled rocks and cracks traced a path down to the edge of the roof.

Zero clenched his fists. "He ran away, that coward!" He floated over until he could see the landing beneath. A body outline dented the stone where Tallgeese had landed. Where had he gone from there? Into the castle? Or had he flown off into the wilderness?

"Was he..." Aleda swallowed. "... eaten by it?"

"No, or we would have heard his obnoxious screaming." Zero scanned for him in vain. "Where _is_ he?"

Aleda started to look around, too, lowering to the landing and staring into the open doorway of the tower. There were sounds of battle drifting through, stomach-churning screeches and cries.

_Titan is still fighting down there. Could Tallgeese have gone that way? _Zero wondered as he gave another visual sweep of the grounds outside the castle.

"Ah…!"

Zero wheeled. Aleda was clutching her chest, her face stretched in pain.

"Aleda!" Quickly, he jet beside her and pulled away her hands to see the injuries a second time. The gold aeration vents covering her chest had been ripped off on one side, exposing bare white frame casing underneath. Normally Zero would have been quite flustered at the sight, but too many other things pressed his mind. It was enough that nothing underneath had been pierced.

Her GunSoul was the greater concern. Though her gem still shone, the area around the mark had dimmed. She was trembling with the effort not to grab it again. Zero sucked in his breath. "This looks quite painful. Our synchronicity must have kept the pain at bay until now. Hold on, milady, I'll help ease it." He held a hand over her chest, and with his magic circle hovering over them, the energy seeped in.

The crack sealed, her trembling stopped, and her breaths evened. When Zero removed his hand, a blotch of dimness remained, but otherwise he left no mark.

"Thank you," Aleda whispered.

"My magic only repaired the surface for now, so the crack will not grow nor pain you, and we can escape to find you better treatment. And we will also..." He circled behind her and snapped his fingers, and his red cape popped into his hands. "... temporarily, cure this, as well." He looped the garment over her head and under her arms, then tied it around her to cover her torn armor.

The wing decals on the side of her helm reddened. "Isn't this the cape the princess gave you?"

"Yes," he said, allowing himself a slight smile. "But she would understand. It is being used to honor a lady." With a final tug of the knot, he released it and surveyed his work. "Is it too tight, milady?"

"No."

He took her hand. "Then let us rejoin the others. Titan and our allies are fighting."

She looked at him anxiously. "There's another Gundamess here, named Miku—"

"Yes, she is also in battle, with another Knight Gundam beside her. We'll bring her too, don't worry. Let us go help them."

With a nod, she followed him down to the tower balcony, where the sounds of snaps and cracks and scrapes still echoed up.

Zero clenched his sword, bracing himself. His wings quivered. In his mind, Fenn rumbled in anticipation. He wouldn't let his guard down. This time, he wouldn't fail.

...

Roars thundered, and magic erupted outside like a volcano; Titan could sense the heat even from within the tower. _Milady! Zero! _ He wanted desperately to help them. Zero would have his work cut out for him with both Tallgeese and that beast both on his plate.

The young knight was going to lose. Lady Aleda would be taken for experiments, or whatever else they did with Gundams, if nothing happened. But Titan couldn't go to them with Deathscythe still ready to fight. The nebulous fiend had shown himself to be a considerable threat. If Titan left and let Deathscythe break free, who knew what horrors he'd unleash on them?

Another bar fizzled out. Sweat ran down Titan's helmet. It was a losing battle. The hole in the energy cage was nearly big enough for Deathscythe to slip out. Even so, he kept trying to fix it, feeding more of his energy to the spell. "Oh, Mana, bind away this evil!" A tendril of light snaked around the hole, weaving to repair the mesh. New bars spread.

But the scythe cut them like butter. "Such a waste of energy," Deathscythe muttered. "Why delay the inevitable?" Slice! "Especially when the Feather Dragon is eluding me!" The bladetip hooked on the square rim. "Let me go this instant, and I _might_ let you live!"

"Never!" Titan spat. But he was right. It would be mere moments before the brute chopped through the rest. _Then I'll be… _And what of Aleda?

A zap, a cut, a twist, and a shove, and Deathscythe burst free, sending shockwaves of dispelled energy rippling out.

"No!" The cage flashed out. Titan blinked as his cameras adjusted to the dark, and held up an arm to defend himself. He could hear a whistle, something rushing in.

"Deathscythe!" a voice shouted.

Titan breathed. When he felt no whoosh of a scythe, he lowered his arm and peered up at the tower opening.

The young knight was there, wearing shining wings, with Aleda just behind him, and Zero's blue eyes were narrowed at a specific point in front of Titan. "Your fight is with me!"

So the upstart could see him, or at least sense his magic. Tallgeese was nowhere to be seen, either, so Zero must have defeated him. This was quite an improvement from a couple of days ago, when the boy was nearly killed.

As Titan watched, Zero darted down a few feet away, spread his wings, and swiped, locking blades with a heretofore invisible scythe. The shadowy knight's whole shape materialized.

The scythe strained. "Feather Dragon! I won't let you leave!"

Zero pressed down. "You don't get a choice, traitor!"

Titan was distracted from the fight by somebody tugging his arm. He turned to see Aleda studying him with concern. "Are you okay?"

He let her pull him away from the combating warriors as he replied, "Yes. A bit strained and aching in my joints, but nothing serious." He rolled his shoulder to demonstrate.

"Thank goodness…"

"Agh!"

The cry jerked their eyes to the battle. Deathscythe was cringing and backing away from the Winged Knight, his body flickering like a dying torch.

Zero readied his sword for another strike, but he slipped aside to avoid his blow, and then, with a flash, he vanished.

"Where is he?" Zero scanned the tower shaft for any sign of the Knight of Darkness. "I can't see him!"

Aleda edged closer to Titan. Her rigid shoulders betrayed her fear.

All in the tower jumped when a voice echoed through. "You stung more than I expected, Winged Knight. I'll take my leave for now, but know that this will not be the last you see of me..."

The echoes faded, but still the Gundams stood frozen, waiting. Far below, loud cracks and bangs could be heard. Their breaths were heavy, pushing and whistling through their vents. The flight booster bubbles were the loudest, forming a thrumming, pounding rhythm in time with their cooling cycles.

"Where is he?" Aleda's whisper carried loudly through the stone chamber.

Zero shook his head. "...He's not here, anymore. His presence has disappeared completely. He's flown."

Titan sighed in relief. "That was a harrowing experience." He looked at Zero. "You've made terrifying enemies."

The knight smirked. "You, too, now."

That smile tugged at the edge of his own mouth, too. Not that Titan would ever show it. "Hmph."

Zero's giant wings carried him over to the Lady with the slightest of flicks. "We should leave, before either he or Tallgeese recover. Lady Aleda, too, needs healing." He reached and grasped her hand tightly.

Titan followed his gaze to her bandaged chest and swallowed, clenching his fists to try to hold in his anger. "What did Tallgeese do?"

"He aimed for her GunSoul."

She nodded.

Titan snarled. He was decidedly not smiling anymore. "That good-for-nothing...!"

"And I wish I could deal him back double for it, but she needs care as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course..."

While he'd been holding off Deathscythe, his charge had nearly died. He should have been there. He should have pushed past Deathscythe to reach her. Perhaps he could have stopped Tallgeese from hurting her.

Titan turned to face the spiraling staircase. With those two out of the way, that left only the two weaker henchmen. How had the other Gundamess and Knight Gundam fared? "Let us go meet our allies."

They nodded and descended.

...

Titan took a moment to pick up his remaining intact shield once they reached the base of the tower. The loud clashes of battle had stopped. Who had won? Zero looked at the others before sliding into the open, the front atrium of the castle. Aleda and Titan crept behind him; Aleda was quite hidden by Zero's big wings, but Titan loomed in the back.

They came across Miku, Ace, and the knight brothers, the latter lying unconscious on the floor. Miku braced her foot against Vayeate s wind fan to tug free her dagger. The blue knight wheezed out a barely audible groan but didn't rise.

Ace slipped his lance out of Mercurius's shoulder. "They won't be waking anytime soon," he said, standing to face his fellow Gundams. "I see you fou... " He paused at the sight of Zero's extravagant armor. "What have _you_ been doing?" Miku also did a double-take, scanning his feathered wings with wide eyes.

"It's a long story," Zero said. "Suffice to say I have a strong Summon Spirit."

Ace tore his cameras from the shiny wings and nodded. "Where is Tallgeese?

"Wounded, but he lives. Some other beast attacked us, and he escaped while I warded it off."

"A shame you couldn't kill the brute. But we must make haste, and leave before the Dark Axis notices our invasion." He turned to the nearest window, his lance raised. "Stand back."

The rest of them stepped away just as he threw it. The stained glass smashed into a waterfall of colored shards, as Zero gaped in horror. Once the pieces had settled, they moved to jump through the opening.

"A priceless work of art, crafted hundreds of years ago," Zero murmured regretfully as he drew Aleda to the window. But then he met his lady's green eyes. She was looking to him, watching his every move for a hint of what to do next. She'd lifted toward the glass hole but still stared at him and never let go his hand, as if worried he wouldn't follow. He tightened his grip and led her out over the stone sill, folding his wings to fit through.

Titan levitated above the colorful razors, and Ace approached Miku. "It will be faster for us to fly, milady."

"Yes, probably." She leaned into his proffered arms and he, cradling her, floated across the windowsill, into the open air. The black sky greeted them, and the moons winked at them behind thin clouds.

"You may fly faster, Sir Zero and Sir Titan," Ace said to the knights ahead. "I am carrying Miku, so you need not worry about walkers."

They made no reply, but steadily accelerated. The Gundams ducked into rows of stone bushes. The moons were still high. They had a long night ahead.

...

"Heh," Zako Red snorted. "There he goes. Look at that coward run, zako!"

It wasn't until the Zako spoke that Grappler tore his eye from the mesmerizing dance between the Knight and the shadow. On the edge of the viewscreen, he could see Tallgeese roll off the edge of the tower, splat spread-eagle on the balcony below, then jump. He plummeted towards the other rooftops of the castle but caught himself just before he could crash.

"He's not going to get far like that, zako," Zako Red said.

Tallgeese flew in a wobbly trajectory down to a lower floor of Lacroa Castle, around to a side window, cut the bars open, and wedged himself inside, golden wings and all.

"What should we do now, Zako Red, sir?"

"The Knight Gundam seems to have done well for himself, zako." His single eye swiveled to Grappler. "But we can't let him or the others get away. We still need more Gundams for the General, zako." He pointed at the twisted spires ahead. "Bring us closer and prepare to deploy the Zako soldiers, zako!"

...

During their quick, low race behind the line of bushes, the clunks of mechanical footsteps swelled into a noticeable din. "Pawn Leos," Zero hissed.

Sure enough, little brown heads poked around the corner. "The intruders!" one shouted.

Zero yanked Aleda to the wall and folded his wings in front to shield the group, Titan coming beside him to join and form a short shield barricade. Ace darted behind them with Miku just as a barrage of arrows whizzed by. Clank! One bounced off Zero's wings, and another against Titan's shield. Zoom! Zoom! Click! Clack!

"We need to find another way!" Zero shouted above the din of clinking arrows.

"I can take us!" Ace said. "We need to break away first—!"

Dust blew and capes fluttered. A steady whine rose. They looked up to see a dreaded purple ship hovering above them. "The Komusai!" Zero said.

"Main cannons!" a voice blared from the external loudspeakers. Nozzles aimed, and the Gundams flinched back. "Prepare to fire!" The Pawn Leos started to scoot away.

"Get behind me!" Zero yelled. He spread his wings and swung sideways to cover Titan as well, as his shield appeared in his hand.

B-BOOM! Green blasts fired, and Zero brought up the shield. Blue energy spread in front of the beams, which slammed the magic shield and harmlessly skipped across its surface. It collided with the petrified surroundings instead. A stone tree cracked near the base, and an adjacent bush shattered. The earth quaked, and Pawn Leos staggered, some bursting into black and yellow dice.

After a few seconds, the blast subsided. The shield was still as intact as if nothing had ever touched it. Most of all, nothing had made it past him. Zero lowered it, eyeing the Komusai.

"Impressive work so far, Gundam Force," boomed the scratchy commanding voice from the ship.

"Get out of our way!" Zero demanded. His sword glowed.

"Not a chance!"

The guns hummed.

Zero charged in, sword swinging. One cannon tip fell off and thunked on the rocky ground, and the other fired.

The boom came. That was expected. The crackling and crashing from behind wasn't.

Zero wheeled.

Castle bricks smashed, split, and fell. Rock and dust rained, clouding his view. There was a cry in the smoke."Aleda!" Where? Where were they?!

"Back up! BACK UP!" the commander in the Komusai was ordering.

"No!" Zero dove into the rockfall. Debris was still sliding. A chunk landed on his wing, and another on his helm. "Ack!" He held his shield overhead as an umbrella, and it caught a clod of dust. "Aleda! Titan!" It stopped, leaving a grey impenetrable cloud. "Where are you?!"

The Komusai edged backwards, and its thrusters blew the smoke aside. Zero could see them huddling: Titan held his shield over Aleda while they ducked under a larger chunk of wall, Miku had pressed herself under an overhang, and Ace was shaking his head clear after a knock from a brick.

Titan shoved off the stone slab, and Aleda lifted her head. She was safe. They were all safe, clearly, since they were scrambling to their feet. But Zero realized he was shaking. That rattling was from his fingers clacking on his sword hilt. _I can't protect them. _

Even with Fenn, he couldn't attack and defend from the Dark Axis at the same time. He had to get his teammates out of there.

They had to run.

"Lock on with the remaining cannon!"

Zero whipped around. The Komusai's gun swiveled and centered to point square at his chest. He held up his sword and shield. "Everyone, _run!_"

Flight boosters blipped. Cannon fire roared. A blue magic screen bloomed from Zero's shield. The blast hit, and he grunted as he pushed against it with all his might.

"Zero!" She called.

The beam died, leaving only steam rising off his shield. He shouted again, "Run!" and spread his wings. The moonlight glistened over them, like the surface of rippling waters; and as he angled them inward, curling them to face the enemies, the light narrowed, intensified, and grew, until it formed a blinding spotlight on the Komusai.

The eye-like main camera of the ship squeezed shut, as if cringing from the light. _"Ahh! My eye!"_ Grappler Gouf's scratchy voice cried.

"Run!" Zero shouted again. He waited, keeping the Dark Axis at bay with the reflecting radiance. He felt tiny pulses of magic as the others took flight.

"Milady, he'll be right behind us," he heard Titan saying.

The pitters of their boosters faded. The Dark Axis was flying blind, knocking into the castle wall. More grinding, cracking, and crumbling. He could hear Zakos groaning.

He finally turned around to join the retreat. By the time the ship's cameras were working again, the Gundams were gone.

...

"Lacroa…" Mary twirled a lock of her hair as she sat on the bed. "Are you sure they didn't make it up?"

James turned from the nightstand where he'd set his watch. "Who? The SDG? Or one of these other 'Gundam' robots?"

"Any of them." Her brown eyes looked at him intently. "How do we know we can trust what they say? What if they're just trying to use her?"

The couple was in one of the living quarters on the SDG base, winding down for bed (or at least trying to). Mary had changed into a set of loose pajama pants, and James to a floppy t-shirt and shorts. Their room was sparsely furnished: only a firm double mattress on a frame, a small nightstand, and a short dresser. All of the furniture was bolted to the floor, and everything, from the sheets to the doorframe of the attached bathroom, was plain and white—stoic.

Mary wondered what Aleda's room was like. As plain as this? Or perhaps even barer, as many thought would suit a robot. How had they been treating her? What did she do in this place?

"Of course the SDG is using her," James said. "She's another asset. They're sending her out in battles, and she was taken as a result." Scowling, he sat on the bed next to Mary. "But I don't know yet about this Zero and Titan. We can't really judge that until we meet them. If we get to meet them."

If.

"What are you saying? That they might not come back?"

James sighed.

She saw the darkness in his eyes and the droop of his shoulders. How could he give up so easily?

_"...we're developing backup plans in the case that doesn't happen..."_

The world closed up around that word. _If. _"Stop." Shaking, she put her hands over her face. Her eyes were already raw and sunken from sleepless nights. "I don't want to even think about that. Just stop."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"You think we'll never see her again. How can you believe that?"

He put an arm around her. "That's not it..."

"They're all coming back, and _she's _coming back, like she always has."

"I'm sorry, Mary." He drew her in for a close hug. "You're right. They'll be back with her soon." He stroked her hair reassuringly.

But she wasn't a child, and simple hugs couldn't fix this. "I don't know what to do, anymore."

Her husband hugged her tighter, until she could feel him lightly trembling. His nose sniffed on her shoulder, and her ear felt damp.

So that was it. He didn't know, either.

Their daughter was gone, and neither of them knew what to do.

...

The Gundams had retreated underground during Zero's distraction, jumping into a crack in the stone surface at Ace's guidance. He was ferrying Lady Amane's friend again, as flying was faster than running, and they needed to put as much distance between themselves and the Dark Axis as possible. The tunnels wound down, down, shrinking, then widening. Crystal growths illuminated their path. They came to a branch in the road, and Ace turned left.

Though to all appearances he seemed calm and collected—or at least he hoped he was—he was fighting to keep himself righted and his arms still. His body tingled. _No, not now._ _Just a while longer. _

A minute later, he tripped in midair and crashed. His passenger cried out in surprise, and he gripped her tighter to protect her helm. Though the fall was over, wasn't it?

"Miku!" the other Gundamess gasped.

The one in his arms, Miku, was disturbingly quiet as the group ran to check on them. She hadn't been hurt, had she? He felt sore all over, but not from the fall.

Then the Gundamess exploded. "Be careful! I don't want to dislocate a motherboard!" Judging from her vigorous thrashing, she was fine. And angry.

"I'm deeply sorry." Ace loosened his arms so she could wriggle out. With aches in every move, he eased himself up. "My magic is running low. I thought I could hold out for a minute more..."

Aleda was helping the Arkian to her feet. The tigress was unhurt, besides a few new scrapes on her edges, yet she was fuming. "I understand, but please don't use _me_ as a thing to gamble with."

He hadn't meant to drop, though, and he had been flying for efficiency's sake. He _had _to use magic, there was no other option. It had been a long time since he'd miscalculated during a rescue, too. It just was taking longer than anticipated since they were fighting off Tallgeese, and Deathscythe, _and_ the Storm Brothers. Couldn't she be more grateful?

But he bobbed his head agreeably. "My apologies, milady." He stood, only for his feet to give way again. The big one stepped forward and caught him.

"You shouldn't push yourself," the blue Gundam said.

Miku lost her anger; the angry valley of her eyebrows relaxed. "Are you alright?"

"An amaegic," Zero said. The word felt like a smack to Ace's face. "He doesn't have much magic to draw from at all, and he's used a significant amount of it during our battles."

Ace was panting and leaning against Titan's shoulder. He gave Zero a sidelong look, taking in again his wings and powerful aura.

"You should have told us earlier," Zero added.

He curtly quipped, "I will get you to safety with or without magic, as I have others before you."

Zero broke eye contact. "Of course. We have no other choice."

_No, you certainly don't, _Ace wanted to snap back. But he held his tongue and pointed down the way. "We're going to take a left there."

They started forward. Ace took halted and wobbly steps and still leaned on Titan. Agonizingly, but surely, they traveled to the fork and turned the way he had indicated, down into deeper, darker territory.

The path was quiet, the stillness marred only by shuffling footsteps and pittering flight boosters. After a minute, a stone clacked, and they froze.

Another click sounded as Miku aimed her pistol into the shadows ahead. "Who's there?"

A shadow behind a boulder shifted and stood.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I hope you enjoyed! My summer is unfortunately coming to an end in a few weeks, so it may be a while before the next one. I'll try my best, though! I've finished moving into a new place all my own, so I'm better able to do things at my own schedule.

Until next time!

-Penelopi


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